South Bruce zoning for small homes

Municipality of South Bruce, in the County of Bruce. Population 5,880 (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 · South Bruce’s term: “additional residential unit (in an accessory building)”

An additional residential unit in a detached accessory building is permitted in the Urban Residential zones (R1, R2, R3) on lots with full municipal water and wastewater services, in the General Agriculture (A1) zone and in the Future Development (FD) zone; in the Hamlet Residential (HR) zone an additional unit is permitted only inside the house.

Where allowed: R1, R2, R3 zones on lots with full municipal water and wastewater; A1 zone (one unit, including a detached accessory building); FD zone with an existing dwelling; not detached in the HR zone (s. 3.8 .1; A1: s. 3.8.1) [1]
Number allowed: Urban Residential: 1 unit in an ancillary building if the house has no more than 2 units and no other accessory building has a unit; A1 and FD: 1 additional unit per lot (s. 3.8 .1 (i)-(iv); A1: s. 3.8.1 .1 (iii)) [1]
Separation from house: Maximum 30 m (98.4 ft) from the principal dwelling (s. 3.8 .2 (vi); A1: s. 3.8.1 .1 (vii)) [1]
Maximum height: Residential zones: 5 m (16 ft) where setback is 1–3 m; 6 m (19 ft) where setback is 3 m or more; no more than two storeys (s. 3.6.4.2) [1]
Setbacks: Rear or interior side yard: at least 1 m (3.3 ft) from rear and side lot lines and 3 m (9.8 ft) from a dwelling on an adjoining lot (s. 3.6.3.1) [1]
Parking: Must share the parking and yards of the principal dwelling; no new driveway (s. 3.8 .2 (vii)) [1]
Servicing: Shall connect to water and sewer services; on private or partial servicing, sufficient capacity must exist (s. 3.8 .2 (ii)-(iii)) [1]

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. [2][3][4]

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 · South Bruce’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The by-law sets no minimum floor area for single detached dwellings in the residential or agricultural zones; the only dwelling-size minimum found is 55 m² for a mobile home unit in a mobile home park.

Minimum dwelling size: No minimum dwelling floor area in the HR, R1-R3 or A1 zone provision tables [1]

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. [2][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · South Bruce’s term: “mobile home / park model trailer / travel trailer”

Mobile homes are permitted in the Mobile Home Park Residential (MHP) zone, with a minimum unit floor area of 55 m². Park model and travel trailers are allowed in campgrounds (TTP zone) only for seasonal or intermittent use, not as a principal residence, and the definition of 'dwelling' excludes mobile homes, park model trailers and travel trailers. Garden suites require a temporary use by-law.

Where allowed: Mobile Home Park Residential (MHP) zone; mobile home park minimum lot area 4 ha; mobile home site minimum 325 m² (s. 9.3) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: Minimum mobile home unit floor area 55 sq. m (592 sq. ft.) (Table 9.3.2) [1]
Temporary garden suite: 'Garden Suites are permitted by the enactment of a Temporary Use By-law as prescribed in Section 39 and 39.1 of the Planning Act' (note to A1 zone uses, s. 6.2) [1]
Approvals: Campground sites are for seasonal or intermittent accommodation and not a principal residence (definition of 'Campground') [1]

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. [10][5][2][7][6]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · South Bruce’s term: “accessory building”

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation except where a dwelling or additional residential unit is a permitted accessory use (s. 3.6.2), and the definition of 'accessory' excludes human habitation unless specifically permitted; no bunkie or sleeping cabin provision exists.

Approvals: Accessory use does not include 'any building or structure used for human habitation except where a dwelling or an additional residential unit is a permitted accessory use' (s. 3.6.2) [1]

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. [7][5][2][11]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The document is Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2024-34 (the by-law number appears on the cover page and page headers; the inventory had it as unnumbered). No consolidation or amendment date is stated in the document; the filename suffix '040424' may be a date but is not confirmed. The Municipality's zoning page (https://www.southbruce.ca/building/zoning/) says the by-law is due for an update and describes a comprehensive review, with no timeline. The garden suite temporary use by-law note appears under the A1 zone; no general garden suite rule for residential zones was found.

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

Suggest a correction or source

Know of a by-law change, an exception or an official page we missed? Tell us. An editor checks every suggestion before the page changes.

Find help nearby

We don’t have a directory page for South Bruce’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.

All Ontario municipalities