Oro-Medonte zoning for small homes

Township of Oro-Medonte, in the County of Simcoe. Population 23,017 (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.

Needs approval · Oro-Medonte’s term: “detached accessory dwelling unit”

The zoning by-law allows one apartment unit inside a single detached dwelling but does not permit dwelling units in detached accessory buildings. Detached units have been approved through site-specific rezonings, and a by-law amendment to add ARU provisions is in preparation. 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]

Number allowed: Current by-law: one apartment dwelling unit within a single detached dwelling in R1, RUR1, RUR2 and A/RU zones, 50 to 70 sq. m, in a dwelling over 110 sq. m (s. 5.4) [3]
Approvals: Use of any accessory building for human habitation is prohibited in any zone (s. 5.24 c)); detached accessory dwelling units appear only as site-specific exceptions [3]
Approvals: Staff report DS2026-095 (Sept 2, 2026): "The Zoning By-law does not permit ARUs in detached accessory buildings or structures"; Committee has approved several rezonings for detached ARUs; staff recommended preparing a zoning amendment [4]

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][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 with limits · Oro-Medonte’s term: “single detached dwelling”

Table B1 and Table B4 set a minimum first-storey floor area of 90 m² for single detached dwellings in the R1, RUR2, SR, RLS and Agricultural/Rural (A/RU) zones. The RUR1 zone requires 140 m² gross floor area.

Minimum dwelling size: 90 sq. m minimum first storey floor area in R1, RUR2, SR and RLS zones (Table B1) and A/RU zone (Table B4 B) [3]
Minimum dwelling size: 140 square metres minimum gross floor area for a dwelling unit in the RUR1 zone (Table B1, note 2) [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][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 · Oro-Medonte’s term: “trailer / mobile home dwelling”

Trailers may be used for human habitation only in a camping establishment, trailer park or mobile home park. Mobile home parks exist only as site-specific exception zones. Temporary garden suites have been permitted on specific lands by temporary use by-law under s. 39 of the Planning Act.

Where allowed: "The use of any trailer for human habitation, except where such trailer is located in a camping establishment, in a trailer park or in a mobile home park" is prohibited in any zone (s. 5.24 a)); motor vehicles may not be used for habitation (s. 5.24 b)) [3]
Where allowed: Mobile home parks permitted by site-specific exceptions (e.g. *6 Fergus Hill Estates, *7 Big Cedar Estates); minimum mobile home size 55 sq. m in exception *6 (s. 7.6.4) [3]
Temporary garden suite: No general garden suite provision; the consolidation shows site-specific garden suite permissions passed under s. 39 of the Planning Act (e.g. exception *141, By-law 2003-065) [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][2][9][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Oro-Medonte’s term: “detached accessory building”

Using any accessory building, structure or boathouse for human habitation is prohibited in every zone. Detached accessory buildings may have a sink or toilet but no kitchen.

Kitchen: Detached accessory buildings may contain a sink and/or toilet outside flood-prone areas; kitchen facilities are prohibited (s. 5.1.1) [3]
Maximum size: Any one detached accessory building: 70 sq. m (753.5 sq. ft.); 100 sq. m (1,076.4 sq. ft.) in the A/RU zone (s. 5.1.6) [3]
Maximum height: 4.5 m (14.7 ft.) for detached accessory buildings (s. 5.1.4) [3]
Approvals: Prohibited in any zone: "The use of any accessory building or structure or boathouse for human habitation" (s. 5.24 c)); no detached accessory building may be used for human habitation unless specifically permitted (s. 5.1.1) [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][2][13]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Office consolidation September 2026 (file dated 28-09-2026). ARU amendment in progress: staff report DS2026-095 (Sept 2, 2026) recommends a zoning amendment and public meeting for new ARU provisions (detached ARUs proposed for RUR1, RUR2, A/RU and R1*301 Craighurst); not yet in force. Under Planning Act s. 35.1, up to three units are permitted on parcels of urban residential land with full municipal services; the report says only Craighurst Crossing and some Cathedral Pines lots are fully serviced. A new comprehensive zoning by-law is also under review. Some site-specific exceptions permit guest cabins or detached accessory dwelling units.

Sources

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