Petawawa zoning for small homes

Town of Petawawa, in the County of Renfrew. Population 18,160 (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 · Petawawa’s term: “detached additional residential unit / coach house”

A detached additional residential unit (coach house) is permitted as of right on lots with a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, subject to size, height and servicing rules. Partially or privately serviced lots need minimum lot areas, and waterfront lots on private services need a minor variance. [1]

Number allowed: Fully serviced lots: two additional residential units, no more than one detached (3 units total) (s. 3.32.2); partially or privately serviced: one (s. 3.32.3-3.32.4) [2]
Maximum size: Unit area not more than 80% of the primary dwelling's gross floor area; detached footprint not more than 80% of the primary building's footprint (s. 3.32.1(b)(i)) [2]
Maximum height: Detached: one storey, not exceeding 5 m; may be on the second floor of an accessory structure if no taller than the primary building (RU zone: 7.5 m) (s. 3.32.2-3.32.4) [2]
Minimum lot size: 0.4 ha on partial services (municipal water and private septic); 0.8 ha on private well and septic (0.4-0.8 ha by minor variance) (s. 3.32.3-3.32.4) [2]
Separation from house: At least 2 m from the primary building unless built of fireproof materials (s. 3.32.1(b)(vi)) [2]
Parking: One additional space per unit, tandem allowed; must share the primary dwelling's parking area and driveway (s. 3.32.1(a)) [2]
Approvals: Not permitted on private-service waterfront lots; one may be considered by minor variance on waterfront lots over 0.4 ha (s. 3.32.4(c)); units must be registered with the Town (s. 3.32.1(c)(viii)) [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 · Petawawa’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1 and Rural (RU) zones set a minimum dwelling unit area of 75 m² for a single detached dwelling. Other residential zones set 55 m² or more.

Minimum dwelling size: 75 square metres dwelling unit area minimum in the R1 zone (s. 5.2(g)) and for a single detached dwelling in the RU zone (s. 17.2(g)); also 75 m² in the LSR zone (s. 8.2(h)) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: 55 square metres in the R2 and R3 zones (s. 6.2(g), 7.2(g)) and for seasonal dwellings in the IR zone (s. 9.2(e)) [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 · Petawawa’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle / park model trailer”

Mobile homes are prohibited in all zones except the Mobile Home Park (MHP) zone. No vehicle, recreational vehicle or trailer (which includes park model trailers) may be used as a primary residence. Garden suites are possible only through a site-specific temporary use by-law.

Where allowed: Mobile homes prohibited in all zones other than the Mobile Home Park (MHP) zone (s. 3.20); MHP minimum mobile home size 55 sq. m (s. 10.2(b)) [2]
Temporary garden suite: Permitted only by site-specific temporary use by-law, in a Residential or RU zone, rear yard, one per lot, removal agreement with securities; max height 5.0 m and 1 storey, min 2.0 m from principal dwelling (s. 3.14) [2]
Approvals: No truck, bus, coach, vehicle, recreational vehicle or trailer shall be used as a primary residence for permanent human habitation (s. 3.23); recreational vehicles include park model trailers (s. 2.207); mobile homes and RVs are not additional residential units (s. 3.32.1(b)(iv)) [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 · Petawawa’s term: “sleep cabin”

A sleep cabin (no cooking facilities, up to two sleeping rooms) is a listed use only in the Island Residential (IR) zone, one per seasonal dwelling. Elsewhere, accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation.

Where allowed: Island Residential (IR) zone only: one accessory sleep cabin for each seasonal dwelling (s. 9.1) [2]
Maximum size: Accessory sleep cabin area maximum 55 square metres (IR zone, s. 9.2(f)) [2]
Kitchen: Sleep cabin contains not more than two sleeping rooms and no cooking facilities (s. 2.31) [2]
Approvals: No accessory building or structure shall be used for human habitation except where a dwelling is a permitted accessory use (s. 3.3.2) [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 uploaded February 2026 states "Consolidated: Aug 22nd, 2025" on its cover and includes ARU amendment By-law 1752/25. The Planning page still says three units as of right "will" be added, but the consolidation already includes them; it also says tiny home policies are being explored. An older consolidated copy (uploads/2025/01) is still linked from the Planning page.

Sources

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