Fort Frances zoning for small homes

Town of Fort Frances, a single-tier municipality. Population 7,466 (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 · Fort Frances’s term: “additional residential unit / garden suite”

One additional residential unit may be located in a building ancillary to a single-detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling. Additional residential units are listed as permitted in the R1, R2 and Resource Development (RD) zones, and a garden suite is also a listed permitted use in R1.

Where allowed: Additional residential unit listed as permitted in the R1 (s.5.2.1), R2 (s.5.3.1) and RD (s.5.16.1) zones. A garden suite is also listed in R1 (s.5.2.1). Not permitted in a regulated floodplain (s.3.2.1(b)) [1]
Number allowed: Up to two additional residential units per lot (three units in total), with only one in an ancillary building (s.3.2.1(a)) [1]
Maximum size: May not exceed 40% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling (s.3.2.1(e)). Total accessory building coverage at most 15% of lot area (s.3.1(g)), and the zone's lot coverage applies (s.3.2.1(g)) [1]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings in residential zones: 6.0 m and one storey. Two storeys where an additional residential unit is located in the second storey (ss.3.1(h), 3.2.1(f)(i)(3)) [1]
Setbacks: Subject to the primary dwelling's zone provisions, except a minimum rear yard of 3.0 m. Minimum 1.5 m from an interior lot line where ancillary to a semi-detached or townhouse dwelling (s.3.2.1(f)) [1]
Separation from house: Detached accessory buildings at least 2.0 m from the principal building (s.3.1(f)(ii)) [1]
Parking: 1.0 space per dwelling unit (Table 4-1). Must share the primary dwelling's parking area, and no new driveway may be established (s.3.2.1(l)) [1]
Servicing: Only where adequate public or private water and sanitary services are available, as determined in consultation with the Town (s.3.2.1(d)) [1]
Approvals: Building permit required before the unit is established. The Town assigns a civic address (s.3.2.1(c)-(d)) [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 · Fort Frances’s term: “single-detached dwelling”

The by-law sets no minimum floor area for single-detached dwellings in the R1 zone, which R2 also applies to them, or in the Resource Development (RD) zone. A modular dwelling, including one made of shipping containers, counts as a single-detached dwelling.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated for single-detached dwellings in R1 (s.5.2.2), R2 (s.5.3.2) or RD (s.5.16.2). The 70.0 m² minimum floor area in s.5.3.3 applies only to semi-detached, duplex, triplex, fourplex and townhouse dwellings in R2 [1]
Approvals: A dwelling of which a shipping container forms part requires Site Plan Control review of its design (s.3.25(b)) [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 · Fort Frances’s term: “mobile home / motor home / camper trailer”

Mobile homes (CSA Z240) are permitted in the Residential Mobile Home (R3) zone. Motor homes, truck campers and camper trailers may be used only for temporary habitation accessory to a house in the R1 or R2 zones.

Where allowed: Mobile home and mobile home park are permitted uses in the R3 zone (s.5.4.1). Minimum mobile home site area is 335.0 m² within a park (s.5.4.3), and the minimum R3 lot area is 1.4 ha (s.5.4.2) [1]
Number allowed: One motor home, truck camper or camper trailer may be used for temporary human habitation accessory to a dwelling in R1/R2, in the rear or interior side yard, for no more than 30 days between May 1 and September 30 (s.3.24.3) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Defines a garden suite as a one-unit dwelling accessory to a house, 'designed to be temporary and portable, as per the Planning Act', excluding a recreational vehicle. It is a listed permitted use in the R1 zone (s.5.2.1). The by-law also recognizes s.39 temporary use by-laws ('-T' zone suffix, s.1.5.5) [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 · Fort Frances’s term: “sleep cabin”

The by-law does not address a private bunkie. Its 'sleep cabin' is defined as a building for sleeping that is rented to the vacationing or travelling public, and it is listed as a permitted use in the Seasonal Residential (SR) and Tourist Commercial zones. Otherwise, general accessory building rules apply: 6.0 m height and one storey in residential zones.

Where allowed: 'Sleep cabin' (a building used for sleeping, which may contain cooking or sanitary facilities, rented out for temporary accommodation) is a listed permitted use in the SR zone (s.5.5.1) and the Tourist Commercial zone [1]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings in residential zones: 6.0 m, maximum one storey (s.3.1(h)) [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 text read is the 'Final Zoning By-law 93-25, Council Adoption: December 8, 2025' (prepared by WSP). It is the adopted by-law, not a draft. Its front matter says the by-law 'came into effect on December 8, 2025', and its office consolidation and amendment tables are empty. I could not confirm whether any appeal was filed with the Ontario Land Tribunal: the project page (https://www.fortfrances.ca/town/planning-development/new-official-plan-and-zoning-by-law) returned 403, and one web search found nothing. In the definitions, 'Recreational Vehicle' excludes park model trailers and travel trailers, and s.3.1(m) says a trailer is not an accessory building. Section 3.24.3(b) cross-references a 'Section 3.29.1' that does not appear in the text. The garden suite permission in R1 has no size limits of its own beyond the s.3.2 provisions that apply to 'additional residential units and garden suites'.

Sources

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