Huron Shores zoning for small homes

Municipality of Huron Shores, a single-tier municipality. Population 1,860 (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 with limits · Huron Shores’s term: “accessory and additional dwellings (residential structures)”

Several zones permit residential structures, which include accessory and additional dwellings, up to 3 dwelling units per lot: Residential Low Density (R1), Rural (R) lots without inland-lake frontage, and Agricultural (A). R1 and R require 0.6 ha of lot area per dwelling unit. The Waterfront Residential, Waterfront Recreational and inland-lake Rural lots are limited to 1 dwelling unit.

Number allowed: R1: not more than 3 dwelling units on a single lot; R: up to 3 (only 1 on lots with inland-lake frontage); A: up to 3; RW and W.Rec: 1 [1]
Minimum lot size: R1 and R zones: 0.6ha [1.48ac] per dwelling unit (0.8ha [2ac] per unit for R1 lots with water frontage); A zone: 4ha [9.8ac] [1]
Maximum height: Accessory building 6m [19.6'] in R1, RW and R zones [1]
Separation from house: Minimum separation distance between buildings 2m [6.56'] in R1 and R zones [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 · Huron Shores’s term: “single detached dwelling / residential structure”

The by-law sets no minimum dwelling floor area in the residential, rural or agricultural zones. Lot area, frontage, setback, coverage and height rules still apply.

Minimum lot size: R1 and R: 0.6ha [1.48ac] per dwelling unit; RW: 0.8ha [2ac]; A: 4ha [9.8ac] [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.

Not allowed · Huron Shores’s term: “recreational vehicle / mobile home”

Recreational vehicles may be used for temporary habitation only, for up to 30 days per calendar year with a municipal licence, in the R1, RW, W.Rec, R and A zones. An RV may also serve as a temporary residence while a building permit for the house is active. The by-law defines mobile homes and mobile home parks but lists neither as a permitted use in any zone, and a single detached dwelling excludes a mobile home.

Where allowed: Short-term RV occupancy only, in R1, RW, W.Rec, R and A zones, max 30 days per calendar year, owner-owned, licence required (s. 4.21) [1]
Number allowed: RVs per lot: 1 up to 0.6ha; 2 over 0.6ha to 1.2ha; 3 over 1.2ha to 1.8ha; 4 over 1.8ha (s. 4.21.1) [1]
Approvals: RV may be a temporary residence while a building permit for the primary residence is in effect (s. 4.3.3) [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.

Allowed · Huron Shores’s term: “sleep cabin (bunkie)”

Sleep cabins, meaning sleeping accommodation with no cooking or sanitary facilities, are a permitted accessory use in the Waterfront Residential, Waterfront Recreational, Rural and Agricultural zones. The R1 zone does not list them.

Maximum size: Maximum gross floor area 37m2 [398.26ft2] [1]
Number allowed: 1 on lots under 4ha [9.88 acres]; 2 on lots of 4ha or greater [1]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities and no sanitary facilities [1]
Where allowed: RW, W.Rec, R and A zones [1]
Setbacks: Accessory building setbacks; at least 1.5m [4.9'] from interior side and rear lot lines; 30m [98.43'] from lakes and rivers [1]
Maximum height: Accessory building 6m [19.6'] in RW and R zones; 11m [36'] in A zone [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 new comprehensive By-law 26-10 was passed February 11, 2026 (Notice of Passing: https://huronshores.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Notice-of-Passing-By-law-26-10.pdf), and its appeal deadline was March 5, 2026. Whether any appeal was filed was not confirmed. The office consolidation used is dated May 27, 2026, though page headers still read 'February 11, 2026'. Amendment 26-19 (garage height) was not checked separately. Mobile homes are defined (s. 3.37), and 'Residential Structure' is defined non-exhaustively; the by-law does not expressly say whether a CSA mobile home on a foundation counts as one, so a person should check that with the municipality. The website intermittently returns 504 errors. No ARU guide page was found.

Sources

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