Wolfville land-use by-law for backyard suites, tiny homes and bunkies

Town of Wolfville, in Kings County. Population 5,057 (2021 census).

Backyard suite

A separate home in the yard of a house: garden suite, laneway suite or coach house, including prefab, modular or container units used this way.

Allowed · Wolfville’s term: “detached accessory dwelling unit”

One detached accessory dwelling unit is permitted with an existing dwelling in every neighbourhood zone, with conditions in the R-1A and R-2 zones, including owner occupancy of one of the units. In the Downtown and Neighbourhood Design Guideline Areas development is subject to site plan approval.

Maximum size: 50% of the floor area of the existing dwelling or 79 m² (850 sq ft), whichever is smaller; no more than two bedrooms [1]
Maximum height: 2 storeys [1]
Setbacks: Minimum 3 m from side and rear lot lines [1]
Separation from house: Minimum 3 m from the existing dwelling [1]
Parking: 1 parking space per dwelling unit (R-1A and R-2 zones) [1]
Where allowed: Permitted with conditions in R-1A and R-2; permitted in R-3, R-4, R-5 and MU (Neighbourhood Residential Use Table) [1]
Approvals: Owner must occupy the principal or accessory unit as primary residence in R-1A and R-2; site plan approval in Design Guideline Areas and for a unit in a front or flankage yard [1]

Nova Scotia-wide rule

Outside Halifax, no Nova Scotia regulation requires municipalities to allow backyard suites or a set number of units per lot. Each municipality decides this in its land-use by-law. Province-wide, the Building Code applies to the suite, and a new on-site sewage system needs provincial notification or approval. [2][3][4][5][6][7]

Tiny home on a foundation

A small house as the main home on its own lot. The key rule is any minimum dwelling size.

Allowed · Wolfville’s term: “single-detached dwelling”

The by-law sets no minimum floor area or width for a single unit dwelling and does not mention mini homes or mobile homes.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated; zone tables set frontage, lot area, setbacks, coverage and height only [1]

Nova Scotia-wide rule

Nova Scotia sets no provincial minimum house size. Since April 1, 2025, the Building Code Regulations define a "tiny house" as a dwelling unit of 37 m² or less in building area and give it its own rules on ceiling heights and lofts. Certified factory-built homes are deemed to meet the Code. Municipal planning documents must provide for manufactured housing. [2][5][3][8]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

We haven’t researched Wolfville’s by-law for this yet.

What applies everywhere in Nova Scotia

The province's Building Code guidance says tiny homes on a permanent trailer chassis with wheels are outside the scope of the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations. Whether you may live in one full-time is decided by the municipal land-use by-law. CSA Z240 manufactured (mini) homes are covered by the Building Code, and municipal plans must provide for manufactured housing. [8][5][3][4]

Building permit: Note A-9.39 in the province's Building Code users' guide (February 1, 2026) says tiny houses on a permanent trailer chassis with wheels "do not fall within the scope of the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations" and may fall under other laws such as the Motor Vehicle Act. The guide says notes are explanatory and are not part of the regulations. [8]
Mobile homes: A CSA Z240 MH certified "manufactured home" is a building under the Building Code Regulations (s. 2). It is deemed to comply when marked under CSA A277 clause 7.4 (s. 10A(2)), and its installation is inspected at set stages (s. 35(1)(f)). [5]
Mobile homes: Municipal planning documents must provide for manufactured housing (Statement of Provincial Interest Regarding Housing, provision 4). Halifax only: HRM must permit manufactured housing, including converted shipping containers, in all residential zones (HRM Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations s. 4A(2)(l)). [3]
Approvals: Halifax only: HRM must permit temporary housing in non-permanent structures in all zones where it can be safely established (HRM Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations s. 4A(2)(k)). [4]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.

Not allowed · Wolfville’s term: “accessory building”

Accessory buildings shall not be used for human habitation except where a dwelling is a permitted accessory use, which is the detached accessory dwelling unit.

Maximum height: 8 m for accessory buildings [1]

Nova Scotia-wide rule

Unless a municipal by-law says otherwise, Nova Scotia does not require a building permit for an accessory building of 20 m² or less, but the Building Code still applies to it. Adding a washroom brings in the on-site sewage rules, unless the building connects to a municipal sewer. [5][6][9]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The PDF (about 75 MB) was downloaded with curl and read with pdftotext; the cover reads 'Approved by Council May 13, 2026, Effective September 2, 2026'. It replaces the 2020 LUB.

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

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