Espanola zoning for small homes

Town of Espanola, a single-tier municipality. Population 5,185 (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 · Espanola’s term: “additional residential unit”

Additional residential units are permitted in the R1, R3, RR and RU zones under s.3.1.1, with at most one in an ancillary building. They require full municipal services, except that one unit is permitted on a privately serviced lot if the well and septic system have sufficient capacity.

Number allowed: Two ARUs per single detached, semi-detached or rowhouse dwelling, max one in an ancillary building (s.3.1.1); max 1 ARU per lot in the RR and RU zones (s.8.3, s.21.3) [1]
Servicing: Full municipal services required; one ARU permitted on a lot with private well and sewage system if their capacity is demonstrated (s.3.1.1 iv-v) [1]
Separation from house: An ARU in an ancillary building must be at least 4 m from any other building on the lot containing a dwelling unit (s.3.1.1 vii) [1]
Parking: One space per ARU; tandem parking in the driveway permitted (s.3.1.1 viii) [1]
Approvals: Building permit; where served by well/septic, approval from Public Health Sudbury & Districts [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. [3][4][5]

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 · Espanola’s term: “tiny home”

The by-law defines a tiny home as a self-contained dwelling meeting the Ontario Building Code minimum size and treats it as a single detached dwelling unless it is on wheels. The R1, RR and RU zone standards set no minimum floor area for single detached dwellings.

Minimum dwelling size: No minimum floor area in the R1, RR or RU zones; a tiny home must meet the Ontario Building Code minimum dwelling unit size (definition of Tiny Home) [1]
Where allowed: Single detached dwellings are permitted in the R1, R3, RR, RU and WR 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. [3][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.

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

A tiny home on wheels is treated as a mobile home, and mobile homes are prohibited except in a zone for that purpose (RT Mobile Home Park). Recreational vehicles may not be used for habitation except short-term: up to two on Rural zone lots over 1.0 ha, or one for up to 10 days on a lot with a residential use.

Where allowed: Mobile homes only in a zone for that purpose: RT Mobile Home Park (s.3.15, s.7); a tiny home on wheels is considered a mobile home (definition of Tiny Home) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: 55 m² gross floor area per dwelling unit on a mobile home site in the RT zone; a park must provide at least 20 sites (s.7.3) [1]
Approvals: RV habitation prohibited on any lot without a primary use, except up to two RVs for temporary habitation on Rural zone lots over 1.0 ha; one RV for up to 10 days on a lot with a primary residential use (s.3.25) [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][3][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed with limits · Espanola’s term: “sleep camp”

The Waterfront Residential (WR) zone lists sleep camps among accessory buildings, requiring a 7 m setback from the high water mark and no plumbing or cooking facilities. Elsewhere, human habitation of buildings accessory to a residential use is prohibited unless specifically permitted.

Where allowed: Waterfront Residential (WR) zone (s.23.4 d) [1]
Setbacks: At least 7 m from the high water mark (s.23.4 d) [1]
Kitchen: No plumbing or cooking facilities (s.23.4 d) [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][3][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Cover says 'As amended and consolidated to September 2, 2025', but page footers read 'Consolidated to May 20, 2025'. 'Sleep camp' is not defined; it appears only in WR zone s.23.4 d, and s.3.20 prohibits human habitation in buildings accessory to a residential use unless specifically permitted, so its status outside the WR zone is unclear. No maximum size or height specific to detached ARUs is stated (general accessory height limits are 5.0 m in residential/urban areas and 5.5 m in Rural and RR zones, s.3.1, but the by-law does not say these apply to ARUs). Zone RS (Mobile Home Subdivision) is listed in s.4.1 but has no zone section in the consolidation. The by-law does not address temporary garden suites under s.39.1.

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

Suggest a correction or source

Know of a by-law change, an exception or an official page we missed? Tell us. An editor checks every suggestion before the page changes.

Find help nearby

We don’t have a directory page for Espanola’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.

All Ontario municipalities