Laurentian Hills zoning for small homes

Town of Laurentian Hills, in the County of Renfrew. Population 2,885 (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 · Laurentian Hills’s term: “coach house / additional dwelling unit”

A coach house (additional dwelling unit in a standalone building) is permitted in zones that allow single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwellings, but on lots with private well or septic it is permitted only on lots of 0.8 ha or more and not on most waterfront lots. On lots with full municipal water and sewer, up to three dwelling units are permitted. [1]

Minimum lot size: Private services: 0.4 ha or less not permitted; over 0.4 ha to under 0.8 ha by minor variance with a study; 0.8 ha to under 2.0 ha permitted, must share water and/or septic with the primary dwelling; 2.0 ha and greater permitted (s.3.9.2.2) [1]
Number allowed: Private services: maximum one additional dwelling unit per primary dwelling unit (s.3.9.2.6); full municipal services: up to three dwelling units per lot (s.3.9.3) [1]
Maximum height: Height of an accessory building: 5 m in R1, R2, RR, LSR; 9 m in RU; 6 m in all other zones (s.3.9.2.3 d, s.3.2.3) [1]
Setbacks: Same minimum side yard and rear yard as the primary dwelling; not in a minimum front yard in the RU zone or in a front yard in other zones (s.3.9.2.3) [1]
Parking: Minimum one parking space, may be tandem, per additional dwelling unit (s.3.9.2.5, 3.9.3.2) [1]
Where allowed: Not within 300 m of at-capacity and near-capacity lakes; lots fronting other waterbodies by minor variance only; not in a floodway, NHF or EP zone, or within 30 m of the high water mark; not on undersized lots or where the primary dwelling is legal non-conforming (s.3.9.2.2, 3.9.2.7, 3.9.2.9, 3.9.2.10) [1]
Servicing: Only where adequate servicing (water, wastewater, stormwater, electricity) is or can be made available (s.3.9.2.1, 3.9.3.1) [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 · Laurentian Hills’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1, RR and RU zone provisions set lot area, frontage, yards, coverage and height but no minimum dwelling floor area. [1]

Minimum lot size: R1 single detached: 450 m², 15 m frontage; RU residential uses: 4047 m², 45 m frontage (s.6.2, 21.2) [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 · Laurentian Hills’s term: “mobile home / tiny home (recreational vehicle)”

Tiny homes on wheels and park model trailers are classed as recreational vehicles, which may not be used as a primary residence. Mobile homes are permitted only in the Mobile Home Park (MHP) zone, or in the Rural zone as one second dwelling for farm help. [1]

Where allowed: 'Mobile homes are prohibited in all Zones, other than the Rural (RU) or Mobile Home Park (MHP) Zones. In the Rural (RU) Zone, one (1) mobile home may be permitted as a second accessory dwelling to accommodate farm help.' (s.3.17.1) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suite is defined (temporary, detached, portable housing unit sharing servicing with the principal dwelling; excludes recreational vehicles and travel trailers) but no garden suite or temporary use provisions were found in the by-law [1]
Approvals: 'No truck, bus, coach, vehicle, tiny home constructed on wheels, recreational vehicle or trailer shall be used as a primary residence for human habitation within the municipality ... unless the occupancy complies with Section 3.17' (s.3.23); a tiny home 'is considered a recreational vehicle' (s.2 definition) [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 with limits · Laurentian Hills’s term: “sleep cabin (bunkie)”

One sleep cabin is permitted only on waterfront lots of at least 4000 m² on lakes and rivers that are not designated 'at capacity'; otherwise accessory buildings may not contain habitable rooms. [1]

Where allowed: Waterfront lots on lakes and rivers that are not 'at capacity' as designated by the Province, with an area equal to or greater than 4000 m² (1 acre) (s.3.2.2 a) [1]
Number allowed: One (1) sleep cabin; not to be made available for rent or lease (s.3.2.2 a) [1]
Maximum size: 18 m² (194 ft²) (s.3.2.2 a) [1]
Maximum height: 4.5 m (14.7 ft) (s.3.2.2 a) [1]
Kitchen: Sleep cabin: not more than two sleeping rooms, no cooking facilities, no sanitary facilities, not connected to any plumbing (s.2 definition) [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

Read the original By-law 19-26 (cover: passed and in effect May 20, 2026); not a consolidation, and zoning maps are separate. Appeal status to the Ontario Land Tribunal could not be confirmed (no notice of passing found by search). Which lots have full municipal water and sewer was not checked. Whether any land is actually zoned MHP on the maps was not checked.

Sources

Not legal advice

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