Essa zoning for small homes

Township of Essa, in the County of Simcoe. Population 22,970 (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 · Essa’s term: “additional residential unit (detached accessory building / carriage house)”

One additional residential unit is permitted in a detached accessory building on lots with a detached, semi-detached or row house in the R1–R5, RS1, RS2, Agricultural and Rural zones, subject to size, height, parking and servicing rules in Section 4.38. It is not permitted on properties accessed from a private street. [1]

Maximum size: Lesser of 102 m² or 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area; in Agricultural (A) and Rural (RL) zones, lesser of 139 m² or 50% (s.4.38.3 a) [2]
Maximum height: One storey and 4.5 m; up to 7.5 m within a carriage house (s.4.38.3 b) [2]
Number allowed: Maximum two ARUs per lot: one in the primary residence and/or one in a detached accessory building, or two in the primary dwelling where none is detached (s.4.38.1 b) [2]
Setbacks: Accessory building setbacks of the zone apply (s.4.38.3 c) [2]
Separation from house: Minimum 1.5 m between the detached ARU and any other structure on the lot; in A and RL zones no more than 30 m from the primary residence (s.4.38.3 d, f) [2]
Parking: Minimum two parking spaces per ARU, may be tandem (s.4.38.1) [2]
Servicing: Must connect to municipal water and sanitary sewer where available and capacity exists; otherwise private servicing to the Township's satisfaction (s.4.38.1 g, h) [2]
Where allowed: Not on properties accessed from a private street; not within NVCA flooding/erosion hazard limits without a permit; no basement (s.4.38.1 c, k; 4.38.3 g) [2]
Kitchen: Must have separate washroom and kitchen facilities from the primary dwelling (s.4.38.1 i) [2]
Approvals: Building permit; registration of the ARU under By-law 2022-28 [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. [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 with limits · Essa’s term: “detached dwelling”

The by-law sets minimum floor areas for detached dwellings: 93 m² gross floor area in the R1 zone and a 93 m² minimum ground floor area for a one-storey residence in the A and RL zones, rising to 140 m² in the Estate Residential (RS1) zone.

Minimum dwelling size: R1 zone: minimum GFA 93.0 m² (Section 17 table) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: Agricultural (A) and Rural (RL) zones, residential use: minimum ground floor area 93.0 m² (1 storey) or 55.0 m² (2 storey) (Tables 6.3 and 7.3) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: Estate Residential (RS1): minimum ground floor area 140.0 m² (1 storey) or 100.0 m² (2 storey) (s.15.3 b) [2]

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 · Essa’s term: “mobile home / travel trailer”

Mobile homes are permitted only on sites within a mobile home park in the Mobile Home Residential (RS2) zone. The by-law defines travel trailers and RVs as temporary accommodation and bars trucks, buses, coaches and similar bodies from human habitation except as specifically permitted. [1]

Where allowed: RS2 zone: 'a mobile home located on a site within a mobile home park' (s.16.2 a) [2]
Temporary garden suite: 'Granny flat or garden suite' (commonly a modular or park-model home, for an elderly parent) appears only as site-specific ten-year permissions in the A and RL zones (s.6.4.2, 7.4.2); a 1.0 ha minimum lot applies in A/RL (s.5.1 a). The Township's FAQ says garden suites are temporary under the Planning Act and are not part of its ARU program. [2]

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.

Not allowed · Essa’s term: “accessory building”

The by-law defines an accessory building or structure as one that 'is not used for human habitation' and has no provision for sleeping cabins or bunkies. A detached unit used for living has to meet the additional residential unit rules, which require a kitchen and washroom.

Maximum size: Accessory buildings in residential zones: 93.0 m² and 4.5 m height on lots under 1.0 ha; 139.0 m² and 6.0 m on lots of 1.0–4.0 ha (s.8.1 d) [2]
Approvals: Definition of 'Accessory Building or Structure' (Section 3): 'is not used for human habitation' [2]

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

Read the September 3, 2026 consolidation PDF in full. The ARU FAQ also lists RS2 (mobile home) among the zones allowing ARUs. In the PDF, the parking clause in s.4.38.1 is mislabelled 'b)' (it sits between c) and e)). Zoning schedules A–H are posted separately and were not reviewed. Essa has no shoreline or waterfront residential zone.

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

Directory pages that cover Essa.

All Ontario municipalities