Dawn-Euphemia zoning for small homes

Township of Dawn-Euphemia, in the County of Lambton. Population 1,968 (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 · Dawn-Euphemia’s term: “accessory second dwelling”

One accessory second dwelling, in the main dwelling or in a detached accessory building, is permitted in Residential and Agricultural zones, subject to lot-area, size and siting conditions; it is not permitted in a detached accessory building in the R5 zone. 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: Residential (R) and Agricultural (A) zones; prohibited in a detached accessory building in any R5 zone, in a mobile home park or plan of condominium, and on a lot with more than one dwelling unit (s. 3.8) [1]
Number allowed: One accessory second dwelling (s. 3.8) [1]
Maximum size: 46 m² gross floor area if in a detached accessory building, and not more than 30% of the main dwelling's gross floor area (s. 3.8(k),(l)) [1]
Minimum lot size: Zone minimum lot area; 0.8 ha in A1/A2 zones or on any lot served by a private septic system (s. 3.8(g)) [1]
Separation from house: Not more than 20 m from the main dwelling (s. 3.8(s)) [1]
Setbacks: Not closer than 2.4 m to an interior side lot line, and not within the main dwelling's minimum rear yard setback of the rear lot line (s. 3.8(r)) [1]
Maximum height: Detached accessory buildings in Residential zones: 4.5 m (s. 3.3.4(a)); 6 m on A1/A2 lots under 2 ha (s. 3.3.5); not on a second floor except in A1/A2 (s. 3.8(u)) [1]
Parking: Must share a single driveway with the main dwelling (s. 3.8(m)) [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 · Dawn-Euphemia’s term: “single detached dwelling”

Table A sets a minimum gross floor area for every dwelling: 80 m² for a one-storey dwelling and 70 m² on the ground floor for other dwellings. [1][5]

Minimum dwelling size: 80 m² minimum for a one-storey dwelling; 70 m² minimum on the ground floor for other than a one-storey dwelling (Table A, applied by s. 4.7(e)) [5]
Minimum lot size: Single detached dwelling in A1, A2 and R4: 0.8 ha and 45 m frontage (Table A) [5]

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][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Not allowed · Dawn-Euphemia’s term: “travel trailer / mobile home”

No zone in the consolidated by-law lists mobile homes or park model homes as a permitted use, and travel trailers, truck campers or motor homes may only be used for living or sleeping as accessory to a dwelling for up to 60 days in any 10 consecutive months. [1]

Where allowed: No zone permits mobile homes; mobile homes and park model homes shall not be parked or stored in any Residential zone (s. 3.25) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Not addressed; a former temporary-use zone (A1-T1) that allowed a single-wide mobile home expired February 3, 2017 (s. 5.5.1) [1]
Approvals: Except on lands zoned specifically for the purpose, travel trailers, truck campers or motor homes may be used for living, sleeping or eating only as accessory to a dwelling on the same lot, for not more than 60 days total in any 10 consecutive months, one at a time (s. 3.12) [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. [11][6][2][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed

Permitted accessory buildings do not include any building used for human habitation except as specifically permitted, and a dwelling includes any building used as a sleeping place; only one dwelling plus an accessory second dwelling is allowed on a lot. [1]

Number allowed: Not more than one dwelling on a lot with a single detached or farm dwelling, except an accessory second dwelling under s. 3.8 (s. 3.9.4) [1]
Approvals: Accessory buildings, structures or uses shall not include any building used for human habitation except as specifically permitted (s. 3.3.1(a)(ii)) [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. [8][6][2][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Read the September 2025 consolidation posted on https://dawneuphemia.ca/municipal-services/planning/. Zone lot regulations and minimum dwelling floor areas are in Table A, posted as a separate PDF uploaded November 2021; it was not re-dated with the 2025 consolidation. Bunkie answer is inferred from the general prohibition on human habitation in accessory buildings; no sleeping-cabin provision exists.

Sources

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