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Tiny Home List

Schreiber zoning for small homes

Township of Schreiber, a single-tier municipality. Population 1,039 (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 · Schreiber’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU)”

By-law 26-2025 permits one additional residential unit in a building ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse in the R1, R1H, R2 and Rural zones, where the lot can accommodate an expanded or additional leaching field if the Chief Building Official requires it. It does not apply in the seasonal (SR), Walker Lake (RW), flood plain or environmental protection zones.

Number allowed
One unit in an ancillary building, if the house contains no more than two units and no other ancillary building contains a unit (s.5.2(b)(iii) as replaced by By-law 26-2025, passed June 23, 2025) [1]
Where allowed
Residential R1, R1H, Residential Multiple R2 and Rural Ru zones; not SR, RW, FP, EP, or units accessory to GC/HC uses (By-law 26-2025 explanatory note) [1]
Servicing
Lot must be of sufficient area for an expanded or additional leaching field if required by the Chief Building Official (s.2.62.1 ARU definition) [1]
Maximum height
Accessory buildings 7.5 m (25 ft); maximum 20% lot coverage; 1 m from rear and interior side lot lines (s.5.1) [2]
Temporary garden suite
Garden suites permitted by site-specific amendment as a temporary accessory use, minimum 56 m² (600 sq ft), not on a lot with an additional residential unit (s.5.2(c)) [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 · Schreiber’s term: “single detached dwelling / factory built home”

The R1 zone requires a minimum dwelling floor area of 70 m² (750 sq ft), as do the SR and RW zones and rural non-farm lots; a dwelling with a farm operation in the Rural zone needs at least 56 m².

Minimum dwelling size
R1: 70 m² (750 sq ft) (s.7.2(h)); Ru non-farm dwelling: 70 m² (s.6.3(g)); Ru dwelling with agricultural operation: 56 m² (600 sq ft) (s.6.2(g)); SR and RW: 70 m² (s.8.2(g), 9.2(g)) [2]
Minimum lot size
R1: 465 m² (5,000 sq ft); Ru non-farm: 0.8 ha (2 acres) [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 · Schreiber’s term: “mobile home / trailer”

Mobile homes are provided for in the Mobile Home Park (MHP) zone, and trailer sites are regulated in commercial trailer camps. Elsewhere, a trailer or motor home may be lived in only temporarily while a dwelling is under construction with a building permit.

Where allowed
Mobile Home Park MHP zone: minimum 56 m² (600 sq ft) per mobile home, 1 storey, minimum park area 3.2 ha (s.10) [2]
Approvals
In the Rural and Residential zones a trailer, camper or motor home with toilet and approved holding tank may be used for temporary habitation only during construction of a dwelling after a building permit is issued (s.5.29) [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 · Schreiber’s term: “guest sleeping cabin”

One guest sleeping cabin (no kitchen, bathroom allowed, not for year-round habitation) is permitted with a cottage or dwelling in the Residential Seasonal (SR) and Residential Walker Lake (RW) zones. Accessory buildings elsewhere may not be used as a dwelling.

Maximum size
23 m² (250 sq ft) floor area (s.2.84, 8.4(d), 9.5(d)) [2]
Maximum height
4.5 m (15 ft) (s.8.4(e), 9.5(e)) [2]
Number allowed
One per lot in the SR and RW zones (s.8.1, 9.1) [2]
Kitchen
No kitchen; may contain a bathroom; not for year-round human habitation (s.2.84) [2]
Setbacks
30 m from high water mark; 3 m interior side; 8 m rear (s.8.4, 9.5) [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 by-law text is on the Township's CivicWeb document centre (folder 'Official Plan & Zoning Bylaw Review': https://schreiber.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/1489), not on schreiber.ca. Researched the office consolidation of By-law 20-2014 to September 30, 2020, with later zoning amendments found in the CivicWeb by-law folders for 2020-2026 applied: 39-2020 (undersized lot enlargement) and 26-2025 (additional residential units, passed June 23, 2025, replacing s.5.2(b)). No other zoning amendments were listed by title for 2021-2026; site-specific amendments filed under other titles cannot be ruled out. The Rural zone 'rural guest sleeping cabin' (minimum 56 m², contains a dwelling unit) is not a bunkie. R1H zone provisions were not located in the consolidation.

Sources

  1. schreiber.civicweb.net web page
  2. Zoning By-law 20-2014 (consolidated to September 30, 2020; amended by 39-2020 and 26-2025)
  3. Planning Act (Ontario e-Laws)
  4. O. Reg. 299/19: Additional residential units (Ontario e-Laws)
  5. Development Charges Act, 1997 (Ontario e-Laws)
  6. Government of Ontario PDF
  7. Build or buy a tiny home: Building Code requirements (Government of Ontario)
  8. Building Code Act, 1992 (Ontario e-Laws)
  9. O. Reg. 163/24: Ontario Building Code (Ontario e-Laws)
  10. 2024 Ontario Building Code (Government of Ontario)
  11. Build or buy a tiny home: permits and inspections (Government of Ontario)
  12. Building Code updates (Government of Ontario)

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