Blind River zoning for small homes

Town of Blind River, a single-tier municipality. Population 3,422 (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.

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

What applies everywhere in Ontario

Ontario law stops municipalities from banning one residential unit in a building ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse on a parcel of urban residential land, as long as the lot has no more than three units in total. Municipalities still set most other zoning rules, but provincial law limits parking requirements, minimum unit size, lot coverage and separation distances. These units are also exempt from development charges and parkland dedication. [1][2][3]

Units allowed: A zoning by-law cannot prohibit one residential unit in a building or structure ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse, if the main house has no more than two units and no other ancillary building has a unit. That allows up to 3 units per lot. Official plans are under the same restriction. In force November 28, 2022 (Bill 23, 2022, c. 21, Sched. 9). (Planning Act s. 35.1(1)(c); s. 16(3)(c)) [1]
Ancillary-building limit: All buildings ancillary to the house can together hold no more than one residential unit. If the house itself has three units, no ancillary building may have a unit. (Planning Act s. 35.1(1)(a)-(c); s. 16(3)(a)-(c)) [1]
Eligible land: These protections apply to a 'parcel of urban residential land'. That means land inside a settlement area, where residential use (other than ancillary residential use) is permitted by by-law, and that is served by both municipal sewage works and a municipal drinking water system. Lots on private wells or septic systems are not covered. (Planning Act s. 1(1), definition of 'parcel of urban residential land') [1]
Parking: Municipalities cannot require more than one parking space for each additional unit (the primary unit is not counted). O. Reg. 299/19 sets one space per additional unit, which may be a tandem space. No space is needed if the by-law requires none for the primary unit. A by-law that requires no ARU parking prevails over the regulation. (O. Reg. 299/19 ss. 2-3; Planning Act s. 35.1(1.1); s. 16(3.1), as amended 2023, c. 10) [2]
Minimum unit size: A zoning by-law cannot set a minimum floor area for these units, and an official plan cannot contain a minimum floor area policy for them. (Planning Act s. 35.1(1.2); s. 16(3.2)) [1]
Lot coverage and separation (urban residential land): Up to 45% lot coverage by all buildings is permitted. There is no floor space index limit, subject to by-law height and setback rules. A building with an ARU may penetrate angular planes. The minimum lot area is the same as if there were no ARU. A building containing an ARU must be at least 4 m from another building on the lot that contains a residential unit. A by-law allowing more coverage or less separation prevails. Added by O. Reg. 462/24, in force November 20, 2024, under the regulation power from Bill 185 (2024, c. 16). (O. Reg. 299/19 ss. 4-5) [2]
Occupancy: Anyone may occupy an additional unit, whether or not they are related to the occupant of the primary unit and whether or not either occupant owns the lot. An ARU is permitted regardless of when the primary house was built. (O. Reg. 299/19 s. 2, paras. 4-5) [2]
Appeals: No one can appeal official plan policies or the parts of a zoning by-law that authorize these units. This covers any parcel where residential use is permitted. (Planning Act ss. 17(24.1), 17(36.1); s. 34(19.1)) [1]
Development charges: Creating one unit in a building ancillary to an existing or new detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse is exempt from development charges, within the same 3-unit limits. In force November 28, 2022, amended June 8, 2023. (Development Charges Act s. 2(3.2) para. 3; s. 2(3.3) para. 3) [3]
Parkland: A parkland dedication by-law does not apply to putting up one residential unit in an ancillary building, within the same 3-unit limits. (Planning Act s. 42(1.3)(c)) [1]

Tiny home on a foundation

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

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

What applies everywhere in Ontario

Ontario law sets no minimum total size for a house that is the main dwelling. The Building Code sets minimum room areas, so the smallest compliant dwelling is roughly 17.5 m² by the Province's own estimate. Municipalities may still set minimum floor areas for main dwellings in their zoning by-laws. The provincial ban on minimum sizes covers only additional residential units. [1][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Provincial minimum dwelling size: No statute sets a minimum total floor area for a main dwelling. The Planning Act lets zoning by-laws regulate the 'size, floor area' of buildings. The ban on minimum floor areas in ss. 35.1(1.2) and 16(3.2) covers only additional residential units. (Planning Act s. 34(1) para. 4; s. 35.1(1.2)) [1]
Building Code minimum room areas: Living area 13.5 m² (11 m² when combined with kitchen and dining in a unit sleeping 2 or fewer). Dining 3.25 m² combined or 7 m² separate. Kitchen 4.2 m² (3.7 m² for 2 or fewer persons). Master bedroom 9.8 m² (8.8 m² with built-ins). Other bedrooms 7 m² (6 m² with built-ins). Bedroom space combined with other space 4.2 m². A fully combined living, dining, bedroom and kitchen space for 2 or fewer persons must be at least 13.5 m². An enclosed bathroom with a water closet, lavatory and tub or shower is also required. (2024 Building Code, Div. B, Subsections 9.5.3A-9.5.3F) [7]
Smallest practical size (provincial guidance): The Ministry's guide says an open-concept tiny home can be as small as 17.5 m². [8]
Building permit: A building permit is required to build a house, including a factory-built one placed on the lot. (Building Code Act s. 8(1)) [4]
Factory-built homes (CSA A277 / Z240.2.1): A manufactured Part 9 building is deemed to comply with the Code if it is built to CSA Z240.2.1 (sections no wider than 4.88 m) or certified to CSA A277. The Code still applies to components built outside the factory and to site installation, such as foundations and anchorage. (2024 Building Code, Div. B, Article 9.1.1.9.; Div. C, Article 1.12.1.1.) [7]
Tiny houses built off-site: For houses with one dwelling unit and 37 m² or less in building area that are partly built in one municipality and installed in another (or at a location not yet known), the Code sets up a two-permit process. The originating municipality reviews construction. The receiving municipality's permit covers applicable law and site installation. In effect since January 1, 2022 and carried into the 2024 Code. (2024 Building Code, Div. C, Section 1.11.) [7]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · Blind River’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”

Mobile homes (built to Building Code standards) are a permitted principal use in the Residential Mixed Mobile Home (RMH) and Rural and Resource (R) zones. Recreational vehicles are defined as temporary accommodation and no vacant lot in an R, RR or LSR zone may be occupied by one.

Where allowed: Mobile home: RMH zone (municipal services required) and Rural and Resource (R) zone (s.9.1, s.20.1) [10]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suite by temporary use by-law; the definition excludes mobile homes and recreational vehicles [10]
Approvals: One recreational vehicle may be stored on a vacant lot in an R, RR or LSR zone but the lot shall not be actively used or occupied for it (s.4.22.5.3) [10]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario has no single rule for living full-time in a tiny home on wheels. A unit on wheels can count as a 'building' that needs a permit and must meet the Building Code once it stays in one place, is hooked up to services or is anchored. Park model trailers are recognized only as seasonal recreational buildings. Municipalities may allow a portable garden suite under a temporary-use by-law for up to 20 years, with extensions of up to 3 years each. [9][7][1][4][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed with limits · Blind River’s term: “guest cabin (sleep cabin)”

One guest cabin or loft-above-a-garage is permitted per lot as an accessory use to a dwelling in the Rural Residential (RR) and Limited Service Residential (LSR) zones, without cooking facilities.

Where allowed: RR and LSR zones (s.4.1.2) [10]
Number allowed: One guest cabin or one loft-above-a-garage per lot; not on a lot with a garden suite [10]
Maximum size: 50 m² (538.2 sq ft) gross floor area [10]
Maximum height: 6 m (19.6 ft) for accessory buildings in RR and LSR zones [10]
Setbacks: At least 3 m (9.84 ft) from interior and rear lot lines and the main building [10]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; sanitary facilities allowed [10]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law has no rule written specifically for bunkies or sleeping cabins. Whether one needs a building permit depends on the Building Code Act's definition of 'building' and the Code's shed exemption. That exemption covers only storage-use sheds, so it does not cover a structure used for sleeping. Municipal zoning rules for accessory buildings still apply. [4][7][1][11]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The posted text (Aug 2016, by-law number left blank) was enacted as By-law 16-49, passed 2016-09-06 (enacting page: https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/blindriver-010-ca/media/n5ik30ko/16-49-zoning-by-law.pdf). It is not a consolidation; the Town notes later amendments may not be included. A Town-initiated housekeeping amendment (ZBL2025-001, public meeting 2025-11-17) proposed removing minimum floor areas in the R1, R2, RR and LSR zones and reducing R1 lot standards; whether it was passed could not be confirmed, so the tiny_home_foundation answer may be out of date. Planning Act s.35.1 (as amended 2022) may permit additional units on serviced urban residential lots regardless of the by-law text; not reflected in the by-law. Backyard suite rules left out: the posted 2016 by-law predates Ontario's late-2022 additional-unit changes. Minimum dwelling size left out: housekeeping amendment ZBL2025-001 proposed removing the minimum floor areas and its outcome could not be confirmed.

Sources

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