Drummond/North Elmsley zoning for small homes

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 · Drummond/North Elmsley’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU) in an accessory building”

One ARU is permitted in an accessory building in the A, RU, R and MR zones, on lots that meet the zone's minimum lot area and have frontage on a publicly maintained road. ARUs are not permitted in the LSR or EP zones, on flood or hazard lands, or in an accessory building on a waterfront lot under 1 ha. [1][2][3]

Where allowed: A, RU, R and MR zones where single detached, semi-detached, duplex, triplex, row or townhouse dwellings are permitted; not in Environmental Protection (EP) or Limited Services Residential (LSR) zones; not on lands subject to flooding or natural hazards; not in an accessory building on a lot under 1 ha with frontage on a waterbody (s. 4.1) [1]
Number allowed: Maximum 2 ARUs per property: up to 1 within the dwelling and 1 within an accessory building (s. 4.1.3) [1]
Minimum lot size: Lot must meet or exceed the minimum lot area of the zone (s. 4.1.1); e.g. 4,000 m² in the R zone (s. 8.2) [1]
Maximum height: 5 m on lots under 1 ha (7.5 m where the ARU is on the second storey above a private garage); on lots of 1 ha or more, the zone's maximum height for the residential use (s. 4.1.8–4.1.9) [1]
Maximum size: Footprint of the ARU within the accessory building cannot exceed the footprint of the principal residence; no minimum size (Township guide) [2]
Separation from house: In the Agriculture (A) zone, an ARU in an accessory building must be within 50 m of the existing dwelling (s. 4.1.11) [1]
Parking: 1 parking space per ARU (s. 4.1.2); access only via the existing driveway of the principal dwelling (s. 4.1.12) [1]
Approvals: Building permit required for all ARUs (Township guide) [2]

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. [4][5][6]

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 · Drummond/North Elmsley’s term: “single-detached dwelling house”

The Rural (RU), Residential (R) and Limited Services Residential (LSR) zones set a minimum dwelling house area of 75 m². No minimum dwelling area is listed in the Agricultural (A) zone provisions. [1]

Minimum dwelling size: Dwelling House Area (minimum) 75 m² in the RU (s. 7.2), R (s. 8.2) and LSR (s. 10.2) zones; the minimum does not apply where it would cause the zone's maximum lot coverage to be exceeded (s. 2.5.3) [1]
Minimum lot size: 4,000 m² for a single detached dwelling in the A, RU, R and LSR zones [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. [4][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · Drummond/North Elmsley’s term: “mobile home / park model home / recreational vehicle”

Mobile homes, modular dwellings and park model homes are permitted uses in the Mobile Home Development (MHP) zone; elsewhere a mobile home or recreational vehicle may only be used as a temporary residence while a building permit for a permanent dwelling is valid, under an agreement with the Township. Temporary garden suites have been approved by site-specific temporary use amendments. [1]

Where allowed: Mobile Home Development (MHP) zone permits mobile homes, modular dwellings and park model homes (s. 11.1); a mobile home may also be the second (farm help) dwelling on an A-zone lot of at least 39 ha (s. 6.3) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites have been permitted on individual RU properties for 20 years through temporary use zoning amendments (e.g. RU-t5 to RU-t10, s. 4.31.2) [1]
Approvals: Outside permitted zones, a mobile home or RV may be used only as a temporary residence while a building permit for a permanent dwelling is valid and with a written agreement with the Municipality (s. 4.21) [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. [12][7][4][9][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed · Drummond/North Elmsley’s term: “sleeping cabin (guest cabin)”

One sleeping cabin of up to 20 m² is permitted as an accessory use to a single detached dwelling in the Rural (RU), Residential (R) and Limited Services Residential (LSR) zones. It may not contain cooking or kitchen facilities and may not be rented. [1]

Where allowed: RU, R and LSR zones, accessory to a permitted single detached dwelling (s. 4.35) [1]
Number allowed: 1 per lot (s. 4.35) [1]
Maximum size: 20 m² gross floor area (s. 4.35) [1]
Kitchen: No cooking or kitchen facilities; sanitary facilities allowed with approval of the appropriate authority (definition, s. 3) [1]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings to a residential use: 5 m in R and LSR zones and on lots under 1 ha in other zones (s. 4.2.3) [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. [9][7][4][13]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Read the June 9, 2026 office consolidation. The ARU footprint limit (not larger than the principal residence footprint) comes from the Township's September 2026 ARU guide; I did not find it in s. 4.1 of the consolidation. No minimum dwelling area is listed for the Agricultural (A) zone.

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Drummond/North Elmsley zoning for small homes

Backyard suite

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on a foundation

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Ontario-wide rule

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

Ontario-wide rule

Official links

Sources

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