Port Hope zoning for small homes

Municipality of Port Hope, in the County of Northumberland. Population 17,294 (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 · Port Hope’s term: “additional residential unit in a detached accessory building”

Two additional residential units are permitted in all Residential zones (RES1–RES4, RESV1, RESV2, RESR, RESE) and in the Agricultural (A) and Rural (RU) zones, and one of them may be in a detached accessory building. Hamlet, rural residential, estate residential, A and RU lots must be at least 0.4 ha, and only one unit, inside the house, is allowed in the Oak Ridges Moraine Rural and Rural Settlement zones. [1]

Maximum size: Not more than 90% of the primary dwelling unit's gross floor area, to a maximum of 100 m² (Residential zones, s.4.2.1.3 b); in A and RU zones, the lesser of the primary dwelling's gross floor area or 100 m² (s.4.2.1.4 b); maximum 3 bedrooms (s.4.2.1.1 l) [2]
Maximum height: Height of the primary building or 6.5 m, whichever is less, to a maximum of 2 storeys; if over 5 m, the main-building yard setbacks apply (s.4.2.1.3 d–e) [2]
Minimum lot size: 0.4 ha in RESV1, RESV2, RESR, RESE, A and RU zones (s.4.2.1.1 h–i) [2]
Setbacks: The detached building must be no more than 40 m from the public street used for access (Residential zones, s.4.2.1.3 c). In RESV1, RESV2, RESR and RESE zones, no part of the unit may be more than 40 m from the principal dwelling. Otherwise the accessory building setbacks in Tables 4.1/4.2 apply, e.g. 1.2 m from interior side and rear lot lines in urban residential zones [2]
Number allowed: Two additional residential units per lot: one in the house plus one in a detached accessory building, two in the house, or (Residential zones only) two in one detached accessory building (s.4.2.1.1 e) [2]
Parking: 1 additional space for the first unit only where fewer than 2 spaces exist on the lot; none for the second unit where 3 or more spaces exist (Table 5.5) [2]
Servicing: Where municipal services are available, both units must connect to municipal water and sewer; private services are allowed in the hamlet, rural residential, estate residential, A and RU zones (s.4.2.1.1 r–t) [2]
Where allowed: Not permitted in the EP-F floodplain overlay or a Conservation Authority floodplain; no basement or below-grade living space in a detached unit (s.4.2.1.1 c, g) [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 · Port Hope’s term: “tiny house”

Section 4.40 permits tiny houses and modular homes as a primary dwelling if they meet the Ontario Building Code and the zone's provisions. The only minimum dwelling floor area in the residential zones is 140 m² for a single detached dwelling in the Estate Residential (RESE) zone.

Minimum dwelling size: No minimum in RES1–RES4, RESV1, RESV2, RESR or the Countryside zones; 140.0 m² minimum floor area for a single detached residential building in the Estate Residential (RESE) zone (Table 6.1, special provision 1) [2]
Approvals: Tiny houses, modular homes and similar innovative housing are permitted as a primary dwelling or additional residential unit and must comply with the Ontario Building Code (s.4.40) [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 · Port Hope’s term: “tiny house / mobile home / trailer”

No trailer or motor vehicle may be used for human habitation except in a campground, trailer park or mobile home park, and RVs and travel trailers may not be used for habitation unless the by-law expressly permits it. Mobile homes (CSA Z240) are permitted only as an additional residential unit in the Countryside zones. Garden suites are allowed only through site-specific temporary use by-laws.

Where allowed: Prohibited in all zones: use of any tent, trailer or motor vehicle for human habitation, except in a campground, trailer park or mobile home park (s.4.27.1 a); use of trailers, travel trailers, RVs and campers for habitation (s.4.38.2) [2]
Temporary garden suite: A garden suite (detached, portable and temporary) is permitted only where identified through a site-specific temporary use by-law under Section 39 of the Planning Act (s.14.1.4, Table 14.1) [2]
Approvals: Within Countryside zones, mobile homes are permitted as an additional residential unit and must meet the Ontario Building Code and the accessory structure provisions (s.4.41) [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 allowed · Port Hope’s term: “accessory building (no bunkie provision)”

The by-law prohibits using any accessory building, structure or boathouse for human habitation in any zone. It makes no separate provision for sleeping cabins, so the only way to live in an accessory building is a full additional residential unit.

Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 4.0 m in urban residential zones (Table 4.1); 5.0 m in Countryside and RESV1/RESV2/RESR/RESE zones (Table 4.2) [2]
Approvals: Prohibited in all zones: the use of any accessory building or structure or boathouse for human habitation (s.4.27.1 b) [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 consolidated PDF reads 'Last Updated: September 7, 2026' and 'Amended by By-law 31/2023 & By-law 45/2026', and its page footers say August 2026. The schedules are separate PDFs listed on https://www.porthope.ca/en/business-and-development/zoning.aspx. Section 4.2.1.1 d) says that where only one ARU is permitted it must be inside the main building; under Table 9.1 that applies to the ORM-RU and ORM-RS zones. The municipal ARU guide page refers to 'Section 4.2.7', but the by-law text has the ARU rules in Section 4.2.1. The only temporary-use garden suite listed (T3) shows an expiry date of Feb 2, 2026. Section 4.40 defines a tiny house as 'designed to be portable' and built to the Ontario Building Code, which excludes RVs and trailers. Whether an OBC-built tiny house on a chassis qualifies is not stated.

Sources

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