Oliver Paipoonge zoning for small homes

Municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, a single-tier municipality. Population 6,035 (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 · Oliver Paipoonge’s term: “detached accessory dwelling”

An accessory dwelling is a permitted use in the Rural Residential (RR), Low Density Residential (R1), High Density Residential (R2) and Rural (RU) zones, and Section 3.2.2 sets the rules for a detached accessory dwelling unit. A building permit is required, and the unit must connect to the existing septic system and well with Thunder Bay District Health Unit pre-approval. [1]

Where allowed: 'Dwelling, accessory' is permitted in the RR, R1 and R2 zones (Table 7.1) and 'Accessory Dwelling' in the RU zone (Section 6.1) [2]
Maximum size: Floor area must not exceed 105 m² and must not exceed the exterior dimensions of the principal dwelling unit (s. 3.2.2) [2]
Servicing: Must be hooked up to the existing septic system and well, which must be pre-approved by the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and a Certified Well Driller before a building permit is issued (s. 3.2.2) [2]
Separation from house: No accessory building may be located within 3 m of any main building or dwelling (s. 3.1.3) [2]
Setbacks: Accessory buildings: not in the required front yard; side and rear yards are 50% of the main building's required yards, and at least 0.6 m from interior side and rear lot lines (s. 3.1.4) [2]
Maximum height: The 6 m accessory-building height limit does not apply to accessory dwellings (s. 3.1.2), so the zone's maximum height applies (10 m in RR and R1) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: A detached accessory dwelling is exempt from the zone's minimum dwelling floor area (s. 3.2.2) [2]
Approvals: Building permit required; Ontario Building Code minimums apply (s. 3.2.2) [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 · Oliver Paipoonge’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The by-law sets a minimum floor area for single detached dwellings of 70 m² in the RR, R1, Significant Agriculture (A) and General Agriculture (AG) zones and 80 m² for a primary dwelling in the Rural (RU) zone.

Minimum dwelling size: 70 m² (753.47 sq ft) for a single detached dwelling in the Rural Residential (RR) zone (Table 7.2.1) and the Low Density Residential (R1) zone (Table 7.3.1) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: 80 m² (861 sq ft) for primary dwellings in the Rural (RU) zone (Table 6.2.2) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: 70 m² (753.47 sq ft) for a single detached dwelling in the A and AG zones (Tables 5.2.1 and 5.3.1) [2]
Minimum lot size: 1 ha in R1; 2 ha in RR and for primary dwellings in RU [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 · Oliver Paipoonge’s term: “mobile home dwelling / recreational vehicle / trailer”

Motor vehicles, recreational vehicles and trailers may not be occupied as a permanent residence. Single-wide mobile home dwellings and mobile home parks are permitted only in the Mobile Home Residential (MHR) zone, and a garden suite dwelling needs a temporary use by-law.

Where allowed: Single wide mobile home dwellings and mobile home parks are permitted only in the MHR zone (Table 7.1) [2]
Temporary garden suite: 'A temporary use by-law must be passed to allow the erection of a garden suite dwelling' (s. 14.2.3) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: In the AG zone, a mobile home may be used as an accessory farm dwelling under a temporary building permit from the Chief Building Official, with a minimum floor area of 60 m² (s. 5.3.2 iii) [2]
Approvals: Prohibited use: 'Motor vehicles, recreational vehicles and trailers are not permitted to be occupied as a permanent residence' (s. 3.18 xii) [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.

Not addressed

The by-law has no provision for sleep cabins or bunkies on residential or rural lots. General accessory-building rules apply instead: a 6 m height limit, 3 m separation from the dwelling and 10% total lot coverage. Its 'bunkhouse' provision applies only to commercially zoned parcels.

Maximum height: 6 m for accessory buildings (s. 3.1.2) [2]
Separation from house: 3 m from any main building or dwelling (s. 3.1.3) [2]
Maximum size: All accessory buildings combined: maximum 10% lot coverage (s. 3.1.1.1) [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

The PDF filename says 'Revised Jan 2025', but the cover-area footer reads 'January 2019 – Last Updated 10-2023'. Most page footers read 'January 2019 – 01-2019' and one reads 'December 2018 – V6.3'. The Section 15 exceptions table includes amendments up to at least 2021–2022. The by-law defines a separate 'garden suite dwelling' (temporary, s. 14.2.3), which is distinct from the permanent detached accessory dwelling. The text does not reflect a third unit per lot (Planning Act s. 35.1). No official ARU or tiny-home guide was found on the planning page.

Sources

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