Perry zoning for small homes

Township of Perry, a single-tier municipality. Population 2,650 (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 · Perry’s term: “additional residential unit; garden suite”

By-law 2022-09 permits one additional residential unit within or attached to an accessory structure in the R1, R2, R3, RR and RU zones, but not on lots abutting the shoreline of a lake or the Magnetawan River, and only with year-round public road frontage. Garden suites for immediate family members are permitted only as a temporary use.

Where allowed: Additional Residential Unit permitted in R1, R2, R3, RR and RU zones (By-law 2022-09, items 7-8) [1]
Maximum size: Does not exceed 75 square metres and is equal to or less than the floor area of the Principle Dwelling (s.3.2.15 i) [1]
Maximum height: 6.5 metres within or attached to an accessory structure (s.3.2.15 vi) [1]
Servicing: Sewage disposal system approved for the total daily flow of the principal dwelling and the additional unit (s.3.2.15 ii) [1]
Parking: One parking space exclusively for the additional residential unit, in addition to the principal dwelling's parking (s.3.2.15 iii) [1]
Where allowed: Lot has frontage/access on a year-round public road and does not abut a shoreline of a lake or the Magnetawan River (s.3.2.15 iv, vii) [1]
Number allowed: One Additional Residential Unit (s.3.2.15) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Permitted as a temporary use in all Residential Zones for an immediate family member; unit not exceeding 40 square metres; removal agreement with the municipality (s.3.2.8) [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 · Perry’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The by-law sets a minimum ground floor area for all dwellings of 75 square metres for one-storey dwellings, 60 square metres for 1 1/2-storey dwellings and 50 square metres for two-storey dwellings.

Minimum dwelling size: Minimum Ground Floor Area - All Dwellings: 1 storey 75 sq m (806 sq ft); 1 1/2 storey 60 sq m (645 sq ft); 2 storey 50 sq m (538 sq ft) (s.3.10 b) [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 · Perry’s term: “trailer / motor home / mobile home”

In the LSR, SR, RR and SBR zones a motor home or trailer may be used for habitation for no more than 14 consecutive days or 30 days per calendar year; in the RU zone, no more than 30 days per year unless there is an existing principal dwelling on the lot. A trailer may also be used as a temporary dwelling for one year during construction under a building permit; no zone permits mobile homes or mobile home parks.

Where allowed: LSR, SR, RR, SBR: habitation no more than 14 days consecutively or 30 days in any calendar year (s.3.28 ii); RU: not more than 30 days unless there is an existing principal dwelling (s.3.28 iii) [2]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites permitted as a temporary use in Residential Zones, max 40 square metres, for an immediate family member (s.3.2.8; Table 10.B) [2]
Approvals: A trailer may be used as a temporary dwelling where there is a valid building permit for a dwelling, for one year following permit issuance (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 · Perry’s term: “sleeping cabin / bunkie”

One sleeping cabin or bunkie is permitted as an accessory building in the Shoreline Residential (SR), Limited Service Residential (LSR) and Rural (RU) zones, with no cooking facilities or running water. It is not permitted if a garden suite is already on the lot.

Where allowed: Shoreline Residential (SR), Limited Service Residential (LSR) or Rural (RU) zone (s.3.2.11; By-law 2022-09 items 7-8) [2]
Number allowed: One (1) Sleeping Cabin or Bunkie per lot; not where a Garden Suite is already located on the lot (s.3.2.11 vii, added by By-law 2022-09) [1]
Maximum size: 20 square metres or less; maximum occupancy four persons (s.3.2.11) [2]
Maximum height: Not greater than 4 metres (s.3.2.11) [2]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities; not connected to running water (s.3.2.11) [2]
Setbacks: Complies with all setbacks that apply to the principal building on the lot (s.3.2.11) [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 posted by-law is a June 3, 2016 consolidation (uploaded 2024) and omits later amendments. Zoning By-law Amendment 2022-09 (passed January 19, 2022; included as Appendix A of the posted OPA/ZBA package) adds additional residential units, adds Sleeping Cabin/Bunkie to the RU and SR/LSR use tables, and replaced the dwelling definitions; it was read from the scanned PDF. Other post-2016 amendments were not checked. A mobile home and mobile home park are defined, but no zone lists them as permitted uses. Table 10.B lists one site-specific temporary garden suite by-law (2006-27).

Sources

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