Erin zoning for small homes

Town of Erin, in the County of Wellington. Population 11,981 (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 · Erin’s term: “detached additional residential dwelling unit (separate garden suite term is temporary-use only)”

One detached additional residential dwelling unit in an accessory building is permitted on a lot with a detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, subject to size, height, servicing and siting rules and a building permit. Units must meet Greenbelt Plan policies and are not allowed on hazardous lands.

Number allowed: Maximum two additional residential dwelling units per lot: one in the main building and one in a separate building, or two within the main dwelling (s.4.1.1) [1]
Maximum size: 50% of the floor area of the primary residential unit, up to a maximum of 130 m² (s.4.1.1.3) [1]
Maximum height: Not to exceed the height of the main building (s.4.1.3.9) [1]
Separation from house: Within 40 m of the main building, and at least 3 m from it (s.4.1.3.7) [1]
Setbacks: Must meet the minimum yard standards of the zone; may be in the interior side, exterior or rear yard (s.4.1.3.3, 4.1.3.5) [1]
Parking: One parking space per additional unit in addition to the main building's parking; one shared driveway access (s.4.1.1.5, 4.1.1.11) [1]
Servicing: Adequate water and sanitary services and capacity to the Town's satisfaction; connection to municipal services where available (s.4.1.1.7) [1]
Where allowed: Residential zones (uses accessory to a permitted use, including an ARU) and the Agricultural (A) zone; lot must front an open, municipally maintained street; not on hazardous lands; not with a B&B, boarding house or home industry (s.4.1.1.6, 4.1.1.10, 4.1.1.12, Table 5, s.5.1.1) [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 · Erin’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The Agricultural and Residential (R1-R3) zone regulations set lot, yard, coverage and height requirements but no minimum dwelling floor area for a single detached dwelling. Minimum floor areas appear only in site-specific exception zones.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated in the A zone (Table 4) or residential zone lot requirements (Table 6, s.6.3) [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 · Erin’s term: “mobile home / travel trailer”

Using a mobile home for residential purposes is prohibited unless a zone specifically lists it; only site-specific zones do (an existing mobile home park, OS1-109, and one A-121 property). A travel trailer may not be used for human habitation for more than 60 days in a calendar year.

Where allowed: Mobile homes only where specifically listed as a permitted use (s.4.44), e.g. the OS1-109 existing mobile home park and A-121 site-specific zone [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites must be established as a temporary use under Section 39 of the Planning Act; maximum 116 m² (1249 ft²), one storey and 4.5 m; a garden suite does not include a mobile home or travel trailer (s.4.13, definition) [1]
Approvals: Travel trailer used for human habitation is a restricted use other than for temporary accommodation as approved by the Municipality (s.4.46.2); maximum 60 days per calendar year (s.4.19) [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.

Not addressed

The by-law does not regulate residential bunkies or sleeping cabins; general accessory building rules apply (4.5 m height, 10% lot coverage, floor area caps by lot size). 'Bunkie' appears only within on-farm 'alternative accommodation' (short-term commercial stays, no kitchen).

Maximum height: Accessory buildings 4.5 m (other than agricultural buildings in the A zone) (s.4.2.3) [1]
Maximum size: Accessory building ground floor area: 116 m² (1,250 ft²) on lots of 0.8 ha or less; 185.8 m² (2,000 ft²) on lots up to 2 ha; 464.5 m² (5,000 ft²) on larger lots; total accessory coverage 10% (s.4.2.4) [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

The inventory URL (October 2022 consolidation) is superseded by a March 2026 consolidation on erin.ca, which was used; it includes By-law 23-47 replacing the former 'accessory dwelling unit' rules (old rules: max lesser of 45% or 92.9 m², min lot 0.1858 ha, within 15 m of the house). The Agricultural zone permitted-use line still cites 'Section 4.1.1 and Section 4.1.2' (4.1.2 now covers units in the main building), so detached ARU permission in the A zone rests on general s.4.1 wording. The inventory's 'proposed amendments' page is a 2021 agri-tourism notice; no adopted 2026 comprehensive update was found. Interpretation of 'limited' for tiny_home_wheels follows the brief's rule (site-specific mobile home zones exist) though no general mobile home zone exists.

Sources

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