Peterborough zoning for small homes

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 · Peterborough’s term: “additional residential unit in an accessory building”

One additional residential unit is permitted in a residential accessory building on a lot with a single unit, semi-detached or street townhouse dwelling (with at most one more ARU in the main dwelling). It must meet the residential accessory building setbacks, height and coverage limits and be smaller than the principal dwelling. [1][2]

Number allowed: Max. 1 ARU in an accessory building, plus max. 1 ARU in the principal dwelling (or 2 ARUs in the principal dwelling and none detached) (s.6.33.3 a) [3]
Maximum size: Less than the floor area of the primary dwelling unit; max. 2 bedrooms (s.6.33.3 f-g) [3]
Maximum height: 4.3 metres (s.6.18, applied via s.6.33.3 c) [3]
Setbacks: Lots with 1 or 2 units: 1.2 m from rear of dwelling, 0.6 m from side or rear lot line; lots with 3-15 units: 2.4 m and 2.4 m; max. 10% coverage for accessory buildings (s.6.18) [3]
Servicing: Public water and wastewater required, unless municipal services are not otherwise required for the primary dwelling, in which case private services are permitted (s.6.33.3 e) [3]
Parking: Cumulative with the primary dwelling per Table 4.1; tandem spaces permitted (s.6.33.3 h) [3]
Approvals: Not permitted in a floodway; firefighting access route limits (90 m hydrant-to-entrance, 45 m vehicle-to-entrance) and 0.9 m walkway required (s.6.33.3 b, d) [3]

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. [4][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 · Peterborough’s term: “single unit dwelling”

Residential Districts R.1 and R.2 require a minimum floor area of 70 m² per dwelling unit, and the general provision requires 56 m² (plus 14 m² per habitable room over four) for a non-bachelor dwelling unit. The Agricultural (A) zone requires 110 m² per dwelling unit.

Minimum dwelling size: R.1 and R.2 Districts: 70 square metres per dwelling unit (ss.7.2 h, 8.2 h) [7]
Minimum dwelling size: General (s.6.37): bachelor unit 37 m²; other dwelling units 56 m² plus 14 m² per habitable room in excess of four [3]
Minimum dwelling size: Agricultural Zone (A): 110 m² per dwelling unit, of which at least 74 m² on the ground floor (s.28B.2) [8]

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. [4][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

Not addressed · Peterborough’s term: “travel trailer / mobile home”

The by-law defines a mobile home as a travel trailer on a foundation in a mobile home park, but no district read permits a mobile home park and the by-law does not expressly address living in a trailer; any dwelling must be a permitted dwelling type meeting the district's standards, including the 70 m² minimum in R.1/R.2. [15]

Where allowed: No district permitting mobile home parks was found in the posted sections; mobile homes appear only as a retail-sales use [16]
Parking: Boats, trailers or travel trailers over 7.6 m may not be parked in the open on residential lots (s.4) [17]

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. [14][9][4][11][10]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

We haven’t researched Peterborough’s by-law for this yet.

What applies everywhere in Ontario

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. [11][9][18][4]

Permit threshold (Building Code Act): A 'building' includes any structure occupying more than 10 m², and any structure of 10 m² or less that contains plumbing. No one may build a building without a permit. (Building Code Act s. 1(1), definition of 'building'; s. 8(1)) [11]
15 m² shed exemption: A shed is exempt from a permit and from the Code if it is 15 m² or less in gross area, one storey, detached from any other structure, used only for storage ancillary to a principal building on the lot, and has no plumbing. Because of the storage-only condition, the exemption does not cover a bunkie used for sleeping. In effect April 29, 2022 (O. Reg. 451/22) and carried into the 2024 Code. (2024 Building Code, Div. C, Sentence 1.3.1.1.(6)) [9]
Plumbing: A structure of any size that contains plumbing is a 'building' and needs a permit. (Building Code Act s. 1(1), definition of 'building', clause (b)) [11]
Provincial accessory sleeping-structure rule: No provincial statute or regulation specifically regulates bunkies or accessory sleeping cabins. Whether they are allowed is up to the municipal zoning by-law. (Planning Act s. 34(1)) [4]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The zoning page states the consolidation incorporates amendments up to July 15, 2026, but the individual section PDFs read (Sections 1, 6, 7-12B) carry a 'May 6, 2025' page date; a complete consolidated by-law is only available on request. By-law number '97-123' / '1997-123' is taken from the City's 'Creating a New ARU' page; a search snippet of O.Reg. 189/23 refers to 'By-law No. 1972-120' (not verified). The ARU page cites the accessory-building rules as 'Section 4.18'; in the by-law text they are s.6.18. The City's ARU page notes a 30 m² minimum ARU size as Building Code design guidance, not zoning. A Community Planning Permit By-law to replace the zoning by-law was in draft in early 2026 (not verified). Bunkie omitted: the city has no rural/waterfront residential zones and the by-law does not expressly address sleeping cabins.

Sources

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Peterborough zoning for small homes

Backyard suite

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on a foundation

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Ontario-wide rule

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

What applies everywhere in Ontario

Official links

Sources

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