North Bay zoning for small homes

City of North Bay, a single-tier municipality. Population 52,662 (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 · North Bay’s term: “additional residential dwelling unit (in an accessory building)”

An additional residential dwelling unit may be located in an accessory building to a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, as of right in most residential and rural zones. It is not permitted in the RRL, P, O, O1 and O2 zones or on unserviced lots in the Trout Lake Influence Area overlay. [1][2]

Number allowed: Up to three additional residential units in the urban settlement area on municipal services, and one in the rural area (s.3.20.2.1). No more than one unit within an accessory structure on a property (s.3.20.2.5 j). [3]
Maximum size: No maximum gross floor area, provided lot coverage and setbacks are met (s.3.20.2.5 e). Urban: all accessory buildings, including the unit, are limited to 30% total lot coverage (s.3.20.2.5 f). [3]
Maximum height: Urban: one storey or 4.1 m, whichever is lesser (s.3.20.1.6 via s.3.20.2.5 c). Rural (A, RRE zones): 6 m (Table 10D provision 3). [3]
Setbacks: Urban: 0.6 m from rear and interior side lot lines, or 1.2 m where a door or window faces the lot line (s.3.20.1.4). Rural: 3 m from side and rear lot lines (Table 10D provision 4). [3]
Separation from house: Urban: at least 1.2 m from the main building (s.3.20.1.7). Rural: at least 3 m from the dwelling (Table 10D provision 5) and no more than 30 m from the primary dwelling (s.3.20.2.5 h). [3]
Parking: 0.5 parking spaces per additional unit, in addition to parking for the main dwelling (s.3.20.2.6). [3]
Where allowed: Not permitted in the Parkland (P), Open Space (O), Rural Residential Lakefront (RRL), Floodway (O1) and Floodplain and Erosion (O2) zones, or on unserviced properties in the Trout Lake Influence Area overlay (s.3.20.2.1). [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. [4][5][6]

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 · North Bay’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The low density residential (Table 5B) and rural residential (Table 10C) regulations set lot area, frontage, coverage, setbacks and height for single detached dwellings, but no minimum dwelling floor area.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated for single detached dwellings in the R1–R6 zones (Table 5B) or the A, RRL and RRE zones (Table 10C). [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. [4][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

Allowed with limits · North Bay’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”

Mobile homes are a permitted use only in the Residential Mobile Home Park (R4) zone, and new mobile home parks must be at least 3 ha with full municipal services. Tourist and tent trailers cannot be used for living or sleeping except in an authorized seasonal tent and trailer park, and recreational vehicles (including park model trailers) are excluded from the definition of a dwelling.

Where allowed: Mobile homes: R4 (Residential Mobile Home Park) zone only (Table 5A). Mobile home parks: minimum 3 ha, full municipal services, one mobile home per lot (s.3.40). [3]
Approvals: No tourist or tent trailer may be used for living, sleeping, eating or accommodation unless it is in an authorized seasonal tent and trailer park under By-law 1976-126 (s.3.18.1). An additional unit in an accessory building may not be a mobile home or recreational vehicle (s.3.20.2.5 a). [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. [12][7][4][9][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed · North Bay’s term: “sleep cabin”

A sleep cabin is defined as a detached accessory building for sleeping accommodation only, with sanitary facilities allowed but no cooking facilities, and it is listed as a permitted accessory use in the Rural (A) and Rural Residential Lakefront (RRL) zones. Table 10D sets no separate size or height figure specifically for sleep cabins, so the general accessory building rules apply.

Where allowed: Rural (A) and Rural Residential Lakefront (RRL) zones (Table 10D). [3]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; sanitary facilities may be provided; no monetary gain (definition of Sleep Cabin). [3]
Maximum size: Accessory buildings in the front yard of a lake or river frontage lot: 10 m² floor area and 3 m height (s.3.21.1.1). [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. [9][7][4][13]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The inventory URL (Sept 10, 2024 consolidation) returns 404. The city's zoning page now links an office consolidation dated July 15, 2026, and that is the copy read here. The ADU FAQ (Dec 10, 2024) says a rural detached ADU is limited to 75% of the main dwelling's gross floor area, but s.3.20.2.5 e) of the July 2026 consolidation says there is no maximum gross floor area, so the by-law text is used. Not checked whether amendments 2025-37 and 2026-027 are both reflected, though the consolidation post-dates them. Sleep cabin height and size: no specific figure; the general accessory limits (s.3.20.1.6, 4.1 m 'except as outlined in Table 10D') apply, and whether Table 10D's 6 m figure covers sleep cabins was not confirmed. The by-law does not mention temporary garden suites.

Sources

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