Bonnechere Valley zoning for small homes

Township of Bonnechere Valley, in the County of Renfrew. Population 3,898 (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 with limits · Bonnechere Valley’s term: “secondary dwelling unit / coach house”

One secondary dwelling unit, which may be a detached coach house, is permitted in zones that permit single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwellings, subject to servicing, minimum lot area on private services, and waterfront restrictions. It is not permitted on waterfront lots or within 30 m of a waterbody without a minor variance. Ontario's Planning Act (s. 35.1) overrides zoning provisions that would prohibit one unit in a building ancillary to a house on serviced urban land. [1][2]

Where allowed: All zones that permit a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, unless specifically prohibited (s. 3.9.2) [1]
Number allowed: Maximum one secondary dwelling unit per primary dwelling unit (s. 3.9.2.7) [1]
Maximum size: Gross floor area must be less than the primary dwelling unit; a coach house footprint must not exceed the footprint of the primary unit (s. 3.9.2.3) [1]
Maximum height: Permitted height of an accessory building (s. 3.9.2.4 d); 4.5 m in R1, R2, RR; 9 m in RU, A (s. 3.2.3) [1]
Minimum lot size: 0.8 ha on private services (well and/or septic); lots 0.4-0.8 ha may be considered by minor variance (s. 3.9.2.2) [1]
Servicing: Adequate servicing required; on lots of 2 ha or less the unit must share the primary dwelling's water and/or septic services (s. 3.9.2.1-3.9.2.2) [1]
Setbacks: Side and rear yards of the primary dwelling apply; not in the minimum front yard (RU, A) or in a front yard (other zones) (s. 3.9.2.4) [1]
Parking: Minimum one space, may be tandem (s. 3.9.2.6) [1]
Approvals: Not permitted within a floodway, EP zone or within 30 m of a waterbody's high water mark; on waterfront lots and within 300 m of an 'at capacity' lake not permitted (minor variance route referenced for waterfront lots) (s. 3.9.2.8, 3.9.2.12) [1]

Ontario-wide rule

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. [2][3][4]

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 with limits · Bonnechere Valley’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1 and R2 zones require a minimum dwelling unit area of 55 m² and the Agriculture (A) zone 65 m²; the Rural Residential (RR), Limited Service Residential (LSR) and Rural (RU) zone provisions set no minimum dwelling unit area. [1]

Minimum dwelling size: 55 m² dwelling unit area in Residential One (R1) and Residential Two (R2) zones (s. 6.2(f), 7.2(f)) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: 65 m² dwelling unit area in Agriculture (A) zone (s. 23.2(g)) [1]
Where allowed: No minimum dwelling unit area listed in RR (s. 8.2), LSR (s. 9.2) or RU (s. 22.2) zone provisions [1]

Ontario-wide rule

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. [2][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · Bonnechere Valley’s term: “tiny home / recreational vehicle / mobile home”

The by-law defines a tiny home (19 to under 37.2 m², may be on wheels) as a recreational vehicle and prohibits tiny homes on wheels, recreational vehicles and trailers as permanent residences unless they comply with the mobile home section. Mobile homes are allowed only in the Mobile Home Park, Rural (on lots of at least 2 ha) and Agriculture (farm help) zones. [1]

Where allowed: Mobile homes prohibited in all zones except Agriculture (A), Rural (RU) and Mobile Home Park (MHP) (s. 3.17.1) [1]
Minimum lot size: Mobile home in RU zone: minimum lot area 2.0 ha, one per lot, 30 m setback from any street (s. 3.17.2) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: Mobile home in MHP zone: 55 m² dwelling unit area (s. 10.2(d)) [1]
Approvals: No truck, bus, coach, vehicle, tiny home constructed on wheels, recreational vehicle or trailer shall be used as a permanent residence unless the occupancy complies with s. 3.17 (s. 3.23) [1]

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. [10][5][2][7][6]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed with limits · Bonnechere Valley’s term: “sleep cabin / bunkie”

One sleep cabin is permitted on waterfront lots on lakes and rivers of at least 4,000 m², except on waterbodies identified as 'at capacity'. Otherwise accessory buildings may not contain habitable rooms. [1]

Where allowed: Waterfront lots on lakes and rivers with an area of 4,000 m² (1 acre) or more; not on 'at capacity' waterbodies (s. 3.2.7) [1]
Number allowed: One sleep cabin (s. 3.2.7) [1]
Maximum size: 18 m² (194 sq ft) (s. 3.2.7) [1]
Maximum height: 4.5 m (14.7 ft) (s. 3.2.7) [1]
Kitchen: No cooking or sanitary facilities and no plumbing connection; no more than two sleeping rooms (definition 'Cabin, Sleep') [1]
Approvals: Sleep cabin may not be rented or leased (s. 3.2.7) [1]

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. [7][5][2][11]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Read the January 10, 2023 consolidation of By-law 2022-042 (in effect June 21, 2022). No later consolidation is linked from https://www.bonnecherevalleytwp.com/departments/planning/ (the 'User Guide to the Zoning By-law' mentioned in our inventory was not found as a link on that page). The by-law allows only one secondary unit per dwelling; Planning Act s. 35.1 (as amended in 2022) permits additional residential units on parcels with full municipal services regardless of the by-law, which may differ from the by-law text in serviced areas such as Eganville. A 'Dwelling, Garden Suite' definition exists but no zone provision or temporary use framework for garden suites was found in the by-law. Several LSR exception zones permit up to two sleep cabins (20 m²) or bunkhouses (28 m²) site-specifically.

Sources

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