Sioux Lookout zoning for small homes

Municipality of Sioux Lookout, a single-tier municipality. Population 5,839 (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 with limits · Sioux Lookout’s term: “secondary dwelling unit within an accessory building”

A secondary dwelling unit in an accessory building is permitted in the RR and RU zones, and in the RS, R1 and R2 zones where the lot meets the zone minimums. In the RR, RU and RS zones the lot must be at least 0.8 ha. [1]

Where allowed: Within accessory buildings in the RR and RU zones, and in the RS, R1 and R2 zones where the lot complies with the minimum requirements of the by-law (s. 4.28) [2]
Minimum lot size: 0.8 ha in the RR, RU and RS zones (s. 4.28 vii) [2]
Maximum size: No more than 40% of the gross floor area of the primary dwelling unit, up to a maximum of 56.0 m² (s. 4.28 iii); a unit on the first floor of a private garage is limited to 56.0 m² (s. 4.28 ix) [2]
Number allowed: One secondary dwelling unit per lot, and only where the existing dwelling contains no secondary dwelling unit (s. 4.28 i) [2]
Setbacks: The accessory structure must meet the minimum yard requirements for the principal building in the zone and the principal dwelling's minimum front yard; in the R1 and R2 zones the minimum rear lot line setback is 3.0 m (s. 4.28 v-vi) [2]
Parking: One additional dedicated parking space (s. 4.28 iv) [2]
Servicing: Private sewage system must be approved for the total flow on the lot; units on partial or private services need Northwestern Health Unit approval (s. 4.28 ii, x). Residential uses in the R1, R2 and RM zones require municipal sewer and water (s. 4.29) [2]
Temporary garden suite: One garden suite per lot may be authorized in the R1, R2, RR, RS and RU zones through a temporary zoning by-law amendment for a renewable period of up to 10 years: maximum 56.0 m² gross floor area, one storey, maximum height 4.6 m, one extra parking space, and an agreement with the municipality (s. 4.5) [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 · Sioux Lookout’s term: “single-detached dwelling”

The R1, R2, RR, RS and RU zone provisions set no minimum dwelling floor area for a single-detached dwelling; lot size, yard, coverage and height limits apply.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the R1 (s. 5.1.2), RR (s. 5.5.2), RS (s. 5.6.2) or RU (s. 5.22.2) zone provisions; a minimum gross floor area appears only in some site-specific exceptions (e.g. 102.23 m² in R1-1) [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 · Sioux Lookout’s term: “mobile home dwelling / recreational vehicle or trailer”

A mobile home (built to CSA Z-240 or A-241, not a travel or tent trailer) is a permitted dwelling in the Residential Mobile Home (RMH), Rural Residential (RR) and Hudson Residential (HR) zones. A recreational vehicle or trailer may be lived in for no more than 90 days a year.

Where allowed: 'Mobile home dwelling' is a permitted use in the RMH (s. 5.4.1), RR (s. 5.5.1) and HR (s. 5.7.1) zones. A mobile home is defined as built to CSA Z-240 or A-241 standards and does not include a travel trailer or tent trailer [2]
Minimum lot size: Mobile home park: 10,000 m² on municipal services or 80,000 m² on private services; individual mobile home site minimum 200.0 m² (ss. 5.4.2-5.4.3) [2]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites (portable, excluding recreational vehicles, and not arranged as a travel trailer) may be authorized by a temporary zoning by-law amendment for up to 10 years in the R1, R2, RR, RS and RU zones (s. 4.5) [2]
Approvals: A recreational vehicle or trailer may be used for human habitation for no more than 90 days in a calendar year on a vacant lot in the RR and RS zones, and in other zones for no more than 90 days where there is an existing principal dwelling (s. 4.17) [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 · Sioux Lookout’s term: “guest cabin”

A guest cabin (sleeping quarters for occasional guests, no kitchen) is a permitted use in the Residential Shoreline (RS) zone, except in the RS-1 exception zone. It is not listed as permitted in the Rural (RU) or Rural Residential (RR) zones.

Where allowed: Listed as a permitted use in the Residential Shoreline (RS) zone (s. 5.6.1); not permitted in the RS-1 exception zone (s. 5.6.3.1) [2]
Maximum size: 56.0 m² or less (s. 4.2.13 ii); also 56.0 m² of floor area when located in a detached garage (s. 4.2.13 vi) [2]
Maximum height: 5.5 m (s. 4.2.13 iii) [2]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities (s. 4.2.13 i) [2]
Setbacks: Must comply with all setbacks that apply to the principal building on the lot (s. 4.2.13 iv) [2]
Number allowed: Not permitted on a lot where a secondary dwelling unit exists in an accessory building (s. 4.2.13 v) [2]
Parking: None required (parking table, s. 4.18) [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

Section 4.28 lists the RU zone for secondary dwelling units in accessory buildings, but the RU zone's permitted-use list (s. 5.22.1) does not include 'secondary dwelling unit'. The municipal SDU guide (June 2025) also describes the provincial three-unit permissions for serviced lots. Zoning schedules A-D are dated 2022.

Sources

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