Grand Valley 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 · Grand Valley’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU) / coach house”

Under By-law 2026-45 (passed July 21, 2026), up to two additional residential units are permitted in the RR, ER, RH and UR zones, no more than one of them in an accessory building, to a maximum of three units per lot. In the Agricultural zone a detached ARU must be within 20 m of the principal dwelling and on private services the lot must be at least 0.4 ha. [1][2]

Number allowed: Up to two ARUs per lot, maximum three dwelling units across all buildings; no more than one ARU in an accessory building (s. 3.1.6 as amended) [3]
Where allowed: Urban Residential (UR), Hamlet Residential (RH), Estate Residential (ER), Rural Residential (RR) zones; Agriculture (A) zone with conditions [3]
Servicing: Connected to municipal water and sewage, or private sewage and water services adequately sized for the increased residential use [3]
Setbacks: Detached ARU set back per s. 3.1.2: 1.5 m interior side yard, 1.5 m rear yard, 2.0 m from any other building; not closer to the front or exterior side lot line than the main building [4]
Maximum size: Accessory building floor area may not exceed the floor area of the principal building (s. 3.1.2 v) [4]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 6 m (8 m in RR, ER and A zones where 6 m side and rear yards are provided) (s. 3.1.4) [4]
Parking: One parking space per additional residential unit [3]
Minimum lot size: Agriculture zone: 0.4 ha where on private services; detached ARU within 20 m of the principal dwelling in the farm building cluster [3]

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. [5][6][7]

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 · Grand Valley’s term: “single detached dwelling”

By-law 2026-45 replaced the residential and agricultural zone tables, and the new tables set no minimum dwelling floor area. The previous tables required a minimum ground floor area of 110 m² for a one-storey dwelling in the RR, RH and A zones. [4]

Minimum dwelling size: None in the new zone tables (Schedules 4, 7 and 8 of By-law 2026-45); previously 110 m² one-storey / 65 m² two-storey ground floor area in RR, RH and A, 140 m²/75 m² in ER, 112 m²/70 m² (incl. garage) in RV [3]

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. [5][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Not allowed · Grand Valley’s term: “mobile home / travel trailer / recreational vehicle”

The by-law states mobile homes are generally not permitted in the Town, and no zone permits them as a main dwelling. The only exception is a temporary farm-help unit under a temporary use by-law. A travel trailer may be occupied only temporarily (up to one year) while a destroyed dwelling is rebuilt, and recreational vehicles may only be stored. [4]

Where allowed: Mobile homes only where specifically permitted; must be at least 55 m², on a permanent foundation, with towing gear removed (s. 3.8) [4]
Temporary garden suite: The garden suite section (temporary use, 0.4 ha lot, 35–80 m²) was deleted by By-law 2026-45 [3]
Approvals: Mobile home as accessory dwelling for farm help requires a temporary use by-law and a removal agreement (max. 10 years) [3]

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. [13][8][5][10][9]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Grand Valley’s term: “accessory building”

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation except where specifically permitted, and the by-law has no bunkie or sleep cabin permission. A detached additional residential unit, which is a full dwelling unit, is the permitted route. [3]

Kitchen: Accessory buildings shall not be permitted for human habitation except where specifically permitted (s. 3.1.1 ii) [4]

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. [10][8][5][14]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Answers reflect the Dec 31, 2025 office consolidation of By-law 2009-10 as amended by By-law 2026-45 (Vision Grand Valley zoning update), passed July 21, 2026; notice of passing gives an appeal deadline of Aug 20, 2026. The Town's Vision Grand Valley page still reads 'in Appeal Period'; whether any appeal was filed (which could hold parts of 2026-45 out of force) was not confirmed. The posted redlined consolidation (grand-valley-draft-zbl-2026-07-10-redlined-and-highlighted_july-21-2026.pdf) is labelled draft and strike-through text is not machine-readable, so the passed amendment text was used. The by-law cites 'Section 37 of the Planning Act' for temporary use by-laws (as written). Unamended s. 3.1.4 still says accessory buildings 'shall not be designed with a second storey or future habitable space', which sits awkwardly with ARUs in accessory buildings.

Sources

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Grand Valley 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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