Leeds and the Thousand Islands zoning for small homes

Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands, in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. Population 9,804 (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 · Leeds and the Thousand Islands’s term: “second residential unit”

One second residential unit, including in a detached building, is permitted on a lot with a single, semi-detached or row house dwelling in the Rural (RU), Rural Residential (RR) and Agriculture (AG) zones only. It is not permitted on islands or within 300 m of highly sensitive lake trout lakes, and septic approval is required first. Ontario's Planning Act (s. 35.1) overrides zoning provisions that would prohibit one unit in a building ancillary to a house on serviced urban land. [1][2]

Where allowed: Rural (RU), Rural Residential (RR) and Agriculture (AG) zones; not on an island or island lot, or within 300 m of Highly Sensitive Lake Trout Lakes (s.3.30) [3]
Number allowed: One second residential unit per lot; not on a lot with two or more dwelling units, a garden suite or a boarding house (s.3.30 (vi)-(vii)) [3]
Maximum size: Floor area equal to or less than the floor area of the primary dwelling (s.3.30 (v)) [3]
Setbacks: Detached unit must meet the setback, maximum height and lot coverage requirements for a primary dwelling on the same lot (s.3.30 (iv)) [3]
Minimum lot size: Lot must meet the zone's minimum lot area and frontage, e.g. RR/RU 6000 m² non-waterfront, 1.0 ha waterfront (s.3.30 (ii), s.5.4, s.11.1) [3]
Servicing: Septic system approval required before building permit; shares driveway entrance with the primary dwelling (s.3.30 (ix)-(x)) [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. [2][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 · Leeds and the Thousand Islands’s term: “tiny dwelling”

A Tiny Dwelling is defined as a Single Detached Dwelling that meets the Ontario Building Code, and the main residential and rural zones set no minimum dwelling floor area. Minimum floor areas appear only in some site-specific exceptions.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the R1, RH, RR, RS, AG or RU zone requirements; Tiny Dwelling included in 'Single Detached Dwelling' (s.2.59 (i)-(j)) [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. [2][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.

Allowed with limits · Leeds and the Thousand Islands’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle / park model trailer”

Mobile homes are excluded from 'dwelling' and, with recreational vehicles, may be inhabited only under the temporary use provisions; recreational vehicles may not be inhabited outside a Tent and Trailer Park or Camping Area. A Mobile Home Park Residential (RMHP) zone exists, and garden suites may be authorized by temporary-use zoning amendment.

Where allowed: Mobile Home Park Residential (RMHP) zone (s.5.7); minimum 45.0 m² floor area per mobile home [3]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites may be authorized by zoning by-law amendment under Section 39 of the Planning Act ('-T' temporary zones) (s.4.7) [3]
Approvals: RV or mobile home occupied during construction of a dwelling with a valid building permit, max two years (s.3.38 (b)); occupancy restrictions s.3.22 [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. [11][6][2][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed with limits · Leeds and the Thousand Islands’s term: “sleeping cabin”

A sleeping cabin is a listed permitted use in the Shoreline Residential (RS) and Island Residential (RI) zones, limited to one per lot. It is not a general permitted use in the Rural or Rural Residential zones except by site-specific exception.

Where allowed: Shoreline Residential (RS) and Island Residential (RI) zones (s.5.5, s.5.6) [3]
Number allowed: One sleeping cabin per lot (s.3.34, s.5.5, s.5.6) [3]
Maximum size: 30.0 m², including a covered or enclosed porch (s.3.34 a) [3]
Maximum height: 5.0 m (16.40 ft) (s.3.34 b) [3]
Kitchen: No kitchen facilities; washroom facilities permitted; single storey (s.2.176) [3]

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][2][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

February 5, 2026 office consolidation read; an older January 4, 2023 consolidation is also linked on the planning page. The second residential unit section (s.3.30) does not extend to the serviced Lansdowne R1/R2, Hamlet (RH) or Shoreline (RS) zones; provincial Planning Act additional-unit permissions on serviced lots may apply independently of the by-law and were not assessed. No ARU guide page found.

Sources

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