Haldimand County zoning for small homes

Haldimand County, a single-tier municipality. Population 49,216 (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 · Haldimand County’s term: “additional dwelling unit (detached)”

Up to two additional dwelling units are permitted on a lot with a single-detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, one of which may be in a detached accessory structure, subject to the general accessory building rules. They are not permitted in the Lakeshore Residential (RL) zone, on lots reached only by a private road, in the Natural Hazard Lands overlay without Conservation Authority approval, or on a lot with a garden suite, rooming house or group home. [1]

Number allowed: Maximum 2 additional dwelling units per lot; where there are 2, at least 1 must be within the primary dwelling (Table 4.55) [2]
Maximum height: 6.5 m for a detached additional dwelling unit (Table 4.55) [2]
Maximum size: A detached unit must comply with Section 4.2: all accessory buildings together may not exceed 10% of lot area to a maximum of 75 m² building area in the R1, R2, R3, R4 and RL zones; 100 m² on lots of 0.4 ha or less and 200 m² on lots of 0.4 ha or more in other zones where permitted [2]
Separation from house: At least 4 m from another building or structure on the parcel that contains a residential unit; within 45 m of the primary residence or farm building cluster (Table 4.55) [2]
Parking: Minimum 1 additional off-street space, may be in tandem with the principal dwelling's spaces (Table 4.55) [2]
Where allowed: Not permitted in the Lakeshore Residential (RL) zone, on lots accessible only by a private road, in the Natural Hazard Lands Overlay unless approved by the Conservation Authority, or on a lot containing a rooming house, group home or garden suite (Table 4.55) [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 · Haldimand County’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The residential zone provisions list the minimum gross floor area as 'NA' for the R1, R2 and RH zones, and the Agricultural (A) zone table sets no minimum dwelling floor area. Some site-specific exceptions set their own minimum usable floor areas.

Minimum dwelling size: Table 6.2a: Minimum Gross Floor Area 'NA' in R1-A, R1-B, R1-C, RH and RL; Table 11.2 (A zone) sets no minimum floor area [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.

Not allowed · Haldimand County’s term: “recreational vehicle / mobile home”

The by-law prohibits using any recreational vehicle, which it defines to include park model trailers, as a principal place of residence. Mobile homes are excluded from the definitions of dwelling and dwelling unit, and no general zone permits them. A recreational vehicle may be lived in for up to one year while a house is built or rebuilt. A portable garden suite may be allowed through a development agreement for up to 10 years.

Where allowed: Section 4.63 l) prohibits 'the use of any recreational vehicle as a principal place of residence'; the recreational vehicle definition includes park model trailers and states it shall not be used as a principal place of residence [2]
Temporary garden suite: Section 4.24: one portable garden suite per lot in the R1, RH and A zones by development agreement with the County, beside a single detached dwelling; initial permission up to 10 years from building permit, extendable in 3-year terms to a maximum of 20 years [2]
Approvals: Section 4.61: a recreational vehicle may be a principal residence on the lot for up to 1 year while the principal dwelling is built or replaced; longer requires a temporary use by-law [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 · Haldimand County’s term: “accessory building”

The by-law has no sleeping cabin or bunkie provision, and Section 4.2 h) says accessory buildings to residential uses may not be used for human habitation unless otherwise permitted. The only habitable detached accessory buildings it provides for are additional dwelling units, which are not permitted in the Lakeshore Residential (RL) zone.

Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 4.5 m in R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and RL zones; 6.5 m in other zones (Section 4.2 b) [2]
Approvals: Section 4.2 h): no accessory building or structure to a residential use shall 'be used for human habitation ... unless otherwise permitted by this By-law' [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 April 2025 consolidation, the newest one linked from the zoning page. A garden suite is a temporary, portable unit permitted by development agreement (Section 4.24). It is separate from additional dwelling units (Section 4.55), and the two cannot be on the same lot. Section 11.4 has a site-specific A-zone exception allowing a 112.2 m² seasonal additional dwelling unit on a private road; it is not a general rule. No standalone county guide page on additional dwelling units was found.

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 Haldimand County’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.

All Ontario municipalities