Guelph/Eramosa 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 · Guelph/Eramosa’s term: “additional residential unit (detached, in an ancillary building)”

One additional residential unit is permitted in an ancillary building on lots in the A, RR, R1 and R2 zones, up to two ARUs per lot. Water and sanitary servicing capacity must be available to the Township's satisfaction. [1][2][3][4]

Maximum size: 45% of the floor area of the main dwelling, up to 130 m² (s. 4.4.1.2) [5]
Maximum height: 5 m where the ARU occupies the whole ancillary building; 8 m in the A zone if on the second storey of an ancillary building; never taller than the main dwelling (ss. 4.4.1.4, 4.4.3.5, 4.4.3.6) [5]
Separation from house: Within the main building cluster, no more than 60 m from the main dwelling (s. 4.4.3.2) [5]
Setbacks: Must meet the zone's minimum yard requirements where the ARU occupies the whole ancillary building (s. 4.4.3.5 a) [5]
Number allowed: Maximum 2 ARUs per lot; only 1 in an ancillary building; no garden suite on the same lot (ss. 4.4, 4.4.3, 4.4.3.8) [5]
Parking: 1 space per ARU in addition to the main dwelling's parking (s. 4.4.1.6) [5]
Servicing: Appropriate water and sanitary services and capacity to the Township's satisfaction (s. 4.4.1.1) [5]
Where allowed: Agricultural (A), Rural Residential (RR), Village Residential Low Density (R1) and Medium Density (R2) zones [4]
Approvals: Building permit required [4]

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. [6][7][8]

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 · Guelph/Eramosa’s term: “detached dwelling”

The A, RR and R1 zone regulations set lot area, frontage, yards, coverage and height for detached dwellings but no minimum dwelling floor area. [1][3]

Minimum dwelling size: None stated in the A (s. 6.2), RR (s. 7.2) or R1 (s. 8.2.1) zone regulations [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. [6][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Needs approval · Guelph/Eramosa’s term: “mobile home / recreational trailer / garden suite”

The by-law prohibits using any tent, trailer or vehicle for human habitation unless permitted, and prohibits mobile home parks throughout the Township. A portable garden suite may be permitted in the RR and A zones only through a temporary use by-law, and a mobile home may be used as a garden suite in Agricultural zones. [15]

Where allowed: Mobile home parks prohibited; use of any tent, trailer, truck, bus, coach body, rail car or vehicle for human habitation prohibited except where permitted (s. 4.17.4 b, p) [5]
Temporary garden suite: Permitted in RR and A zones subject to an approved temporary use by-law; portable and temporary; max 140 m² and less than the main dwelling; one storey, max 4.5 m; 1 per lot; at least 3 m from the main dwelling (s. 4.5). A mobile home may be used as a garden suite in Agricultural zones (s. 3 definition) [5]

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. [14][9][6][11][10]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Guelph/Eramosa’s term: “accessory building”

The by-law prohibits using any accessory building or structure for human habitation unless otherwise permitted, and it has no sleeping cabin or bunkie provision.

Where allowed: Accessory uses exclude any building used for human habitation except as permitted (s. 4.2.1); use of an accessory building for human habitation prohibited in all zones (s. 4.17.4 q) [5]

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. [11][9][6][16]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The by-law is posted section by section on https://www.get.on.ca/planning/zoning, with each section footed 'Consolidation December 2022'. The ARU rules are as amended by By-law 46-2022, and the ARU guide (June 2023) matches them. One web search found no later ARU amendment, but a 2024 amendment (By-law 33/2024, accessory trade uses on A lots) exists, so the 2022 consolidation may be incomplete. Lands in the Rockwood Ridge Subdivision are governed by separate Zoning By-law 34/95 (Appendix A), which was not reviewed.

Sources

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Guelph/Eramosa 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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