North Kawartha zoning for small homes

Township of North Kawartha, in the County of Peterborough. Population 2,877 (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 · North Kawartha’s term: “second dwelling unit (in an accessory building)”

One second dwelling unit is permitted, either within the dwelling or in an accessory building, in zones that list it, namely Hamlet Residential (HR), Residential (R), Rural Residential (RR) and Rural (RU). Shoreline Residential (SR) and Shoreline Residential Island (SRI) zones do not list it. A detached unit must be within 30 m of the principal dwelling, follow the zone's residential regulations, and be registered with the Township. [1]

Where allowed: HR, R, RR and RU zones; not in Environmental Constraint zones or floodplains, and not on a lot containing a garden suite or sleeping cabin [2]
Separation from house: No further than 30 m from the principal dwelling (and accessory buildings at least 1.5 m from the main building) [2]
Number allowed: One second dwelling unit per dwelling, either inside the dwelling or in an accessory building, not both [2]
Parking: 1 additional off-street space (stacking of up to 2 permitted) [2]
Servicing: In a serviced area, connected to municipal water and sewer through the existing dwelling [2]
Approvals: Must comply with the Building Code and Fire Code and be registered with the Township; may not be a mobile home or tourist vehicle; outdoor amenity space minimum 7.5 m² [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 with limits · North Kawartha’s term: “dwelling house / recreation dwelling house”

The main residential, shoreline and rural zones set a minimum dwelling floor area of 45 m² (484 sq ft) for a single-storey dwelling, and 55 m² (600 sq ft) of ground floor area for 1½-storey, split-level or 2-storey dwellings in the RR, SR and RU zones.

Minimum dwelling size: 45 m² (484 sq ft) per unit in HR and R zones; RR, SR and RU zones: 45 m² (484 sq ft) single storey, 55 m² (600 sq ft) ground floor area for 1½/split/2 storey [2]
Minimum lot size: R: 4,000 m²; HR: 4,000 m² (dwelling house); RR: 1 ha; SR: 0.5 ha; RU: 10 ha [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.

Not allowed · North Kawartha’s term: “mobile home / tourist vehicle / trailer”

No mobile home may be used except in a permitted mobile home park, and no tourist vehicle except in a permitted tourist camp; no zone in the by-law lists a mobile home park as a permitted use. Trailers and mobile homes may not be used for residential purposes unless specifically permitted, and a second dwelling unit may not be a mobile home or tourist vehicle.

Where allowed: Mobile homes only in a permitted mobile home park (none found as a permitted use); tourist vehicles only in a permitted tourist camp (temporary) [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 · North Kawartha’s term: “bunkhouse”

One bunkhouse (sleeping quarters accessory to a recreation dwelling house) is permitted per lot in the Shoreline Residential (SR) and Shoreline Residential Island (SRI) zones; it is not listed in the RR or RU zones. No cooking facilities are permitted; washroom facilities may be permitted with approval of the authority having jurisdiction. [12]

Maximum size: 37 m² (400 sq ft) outside dimensions, including porches and open decks [2]
Number allowed: 1 per lot [2]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; washroom may be permitted with approval for waste disposal [2]
Setbacks: At least 4.5 m (15 ft) from any side lot line; 30 m from the high water mark [2]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings 4.9 m (16 ft) to the roof peak and one storey; a bunkhouse may occupy the upper storey of a detached garage (garage max 7.3 m, 1.5 storeys) [12]
Where allowed: SR and SRI zones [2]
Parking: SRI zone: 1 space per bunkhouse (with mainland parking and docking) [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][13]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The posted consolidation is dated July 2020. The file named 'consolidated-july-2020-edits-march-2021' has text identical to the inventory PDF. Housekeeping By-law 2023-0001 is not consolidated. It changes the bunkhouse definition to 'accessory building, or portion thereof' and allows a bunkhouse in the upper storey of a detached garage, where the 37 m² cap applies to floor area with at least 1.4 m of headroom. It also raises the SR building height and makes water-setback changes. The posted 2023-0001 PDF has extractable text only up to the SRI amendment (section 1.q), and its heading reads 'By-law 202 -' without a full number. Its passage and adoption date were therefore not confirmed from the document. By-law 2019-0016 is linked from the Property Development page and may concern second dwelling units. Its PDF is a scan with no text layer and was not read. The zoning page does not mention any garden suite or temporary-use provisions; the by-law mentions 'garden suite or sleeping cabin' only in the second-unit exclusions. A new comprehensive zoning by-law was initiated in November 2022 (terms of reference: https://northkawartha.ca/media/pg2jdkey/revisedtermsofreference.pdf). No adopted replacement was found on the Township site. Provincial ARU permissions under Planning Act s.35.1 are not reflected in the 2020 consolidation.

Sources

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