Madawaska Valley zoning for small homes

Township of Madawaska Valley, in the County of Renfrew. Population 3,927 (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 · Madawaska Valley’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU)”

Additional residential units, including in a detached accessory building, are permitted in the R1 and R2 zones on full municipal services (up to two) and on non-waterfront Rural (RU) lots on private services of at least 0.8 ha (one). They are not permitted on waterfront lots, EP-zoned or hazard lands, or in a mobile home or recreational vehicle. [1]

Where allowed: R1 and R2 zones on municipal sewer and water (two ARUs, s.3.4); RU zone, non-waterfront lots on private services (one ARU, s.3.5); frontage on a year-round maintained public road required [2]
Minimum lot size: RU on private services: 0.8 ha; lots 0.4–0.8 ha may be considered by the Committee of Adjustment (s.3.5.11 and note); lot must also meet the zone's minimum lot area and frontage [2]
Maximum height: ARU in an accessory structure limited to the accessory building maximum of 7.5 m (s.3.4.9/3.5.8, s.3.3.6) [2]
Maximum size: No floor-area cap stated; accessory buildings limited to 10% lot coverage (s.3.3.7) and total lot coverage 45% where an ARU exists on full services (s.3.4.13) [2]
Separation from house: At least 4 m from another building on the lot that contains a residential unit (s.3.4.5/3.5.5) [2]
Parking: 1 space per ARU (s.3.4.8/3.5.7) [2]
Servicing: Full-services ARUs must connect to municipal sewer and water; on private services, lots 0.8–2 ha must share the existing well and septic, lots over 2 ha may have separate systems (s.3.5.13–3.5.14) [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 · Madawaska Valley’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The general zone provisions for the R1, LSR and Rural (RU) zones set no minimum dwelling unit area; minimums (45–120 m²) appear only in certain site-specific exception zones.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the R1 (s.5.2), LSR (s.7.2) or RU (s.17.2) zone provisions; some exception zones set minimums, e.g. 45 m², 55 m², 75 m², 120 m² [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.

Allowed with limits · Madawaska Valley’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle or trailer”

Mobile homes are permitted only in the Rural (RU) zone, one per lot on a lot fronting an improved municipal street. No truck, vehicle, recreational vehicle or trailer (park model and travel trailers included) may be used as a primary residence for permanent human habitation.

Where allowed: Mobile home: RU zone only, one per individual lot, on a lot with frontage on an improved street under municipal jurisdiction (s.3.22) [2]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suite is defined (s.2.118) as a portable detached unit for which a temporary use by-law has been adopted under the Planning Act; the by-law has no general garden suite provision [2]
Approvals: Recreational vehicle or trailer permitted on a vacant waterfront lot for 3 years with an approved sewage system and 30 m water setback, and on a vacant non-waterfront RU lot with an approved sewage system, but not as a primary residence (s.3.26) [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.

Allowed with limits · Madawaska Valley’s term: “sleep cabin”

One sleep cabin is permitted as an accessory building to a dwelling with water frontage on a lake or river, on a lot of at least 0.8 ha, without cooking facilities. Sleep cabins are also listed as a permitted use in the Limited Service Residential (LSR) zone.

Where allowed: Accessory to a main dwelling with water frontage on a lake or river (s.3.38); permitted use in LSR zone (s.7.1) [2]
Number allowed: One per lot [2]
Maximum size: 25 m² gross floor area; no more than 2 rooms excluding washroom [2]
Maximum height: Single storey, not exceeding 5.0 m [2]
Minimum lot size: 0.8 ha [2]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; any washroom must connect to the existing septic system or an approved independent system [2]
Setbacks: Same setbacks as the principal building on the lot [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

By-law 2026-50 passed 2026-05-20 (appeal deadline 2026-06-15) and repeals By-law 2006-26; housekeeping By-law 2026-71 passed 2026-08-06 (file name says 2026-070). Whether any OLT appeal was filed could not be confirmed; the Planning & Development page links the by-law without stating appeal status. Site-specific exception zones vary the general rules (some set minimum dwelling areas or allow larger sleep cabins, e.g. 28, 60, 66 m²). No ARU guide page found.

Sources

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