Scugog 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 with limits · Scugog’s term: “additional dwelling unit (in a detached accessory building)”

One additional dwelling unit in a detached accessory building is permitted in the urban residential zones (R1-RM4); in rural, shoreline and Oak Ridges Moraine zones it is restricted to existing accessory structure footprints or prohibited. [1][2]

Number allowed: Maximum one ADU in a detached accessory building where no more than one ADU is in the main dwelling; or up to two ADUs in the dwelling if none is in an accessory building (s.4.2 a-b) [3]
Maximum size: Most restrictive of: maximum lot coverage of all buildings; 50% of the GFA of the dwelling; 150 m² GFA (s.4.2 f, AG, RR, ER, HR1, HR2, R1-R3, RM1-RM4, C1, C5) [3]
Maximum height: 7.0 m, unless the zone permits a greater accessory building height (s.4.2 g i) [3]
Setbacks: Minimum 3.0 m from interior side and rear lot lines; not in the required front yard; exterior side yard per zone (s.4.2 g) [3]
Parking: 1 parking space per additional dwelling unit (s.5 parking table) [3]
Where allowed: Urban residential zones R1, R2, R3, RM1-RM4 (s.9.2). RR and AG: only within the existing footprint of accessory structures that legally existed July 1, 2017 (outside the Greenbelt Natural Heritage System). SR: only within the main dwelling, minimum lot area 3000 m². ORM zones: not permitted in accessory buildings (s.4.1 c, 7.2, 8.2) [3]
Servicing: Lot must front on and have access to an improved public street maintained year round, outside of the Port Perry Urban Area (s.4.2 k) [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 · Scugog’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The minimum standards tables for the rural area, rural residential and urban residential zones set lot area, frontage and yards but no minimum dwelling floor area.

Minimum dwelling size: None found in Tables 7.3, 8.3 or 9.3 [3]

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][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Not allowed · Scugog’s term: “trailer / mobile home”

Use and occupation of trailers, motor homes, truck campers and travel trailers is prohibited in all zones except where expressly permitted, trailer and mobile home parks are prohibited unless specifically permitted, and mobile homes are allowed only as temporary farm dwellings (including a bunk house) or as a garden suite.

Where allowed: Mobile homes only as a temporary dwelling accessory to an agricultural use including a bunk house, or as a Garden Suite Dwelling where permitted (s.4.16); no zone found permitting a mobile home park (s.4.37) [3]
Temporary garden suite: Where approved under a Temporary Use By-law: maximum 60 m², maximum height 6 m, zone side/rear setbacks and parking, on temporary foundations removable within 48 hours of expiry (s.4.9); the garden suite definition excludes trailers, motor homes and campers [3]

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. [12][7][4][9][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed

Section 4.1 a) excludes from permitted accessory uses any building used for human habitation except accessory buildings that meet the definition of an Additional Dwelling Unit (self-contained with kitchen), so a no-kitchen sleeping cabin is not a permitted accessory use; a 'Bunk House' is defined only as seasonal farm worker accommodation. [1]

Kitchen: Only an accessory building meeting the ADU definition (separate entrance, kitchen, washroom and living space) may be used for human habitation (s.4.1 a 2) [3]

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. [9][7][4][13]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Office consolidation dated December 2025 on the cover (inner page footers say June 2025); includes ADU By-law 12-25 (March 24, 2025, in force, no appeals per the Township project page) and 54-25 (Dec 15, 2025). Urban residential accessory buildings are also capped at 75 m² GFA and 5% lot coverage (s.9.5); how this interacts with the 150 m² ADU cap is not stated. The wording of s.4.2 k ('outside of the Port Perry Urban Area') is ambiguous. Oak Ridges Moraine accessory buildings max 56 m² and 5% lot area. Site-specific temporary garden suites (97-104 m²) exist by temporary use by-law (s.14.3).

Sources

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Scugog 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

Ontario-wide rule

Official links

Sources

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