Uxbridge 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 · Uxbridge’s term: “second residential unit / garden suite”

The by-law permits a second unit only inside the house (Two Unit House, Section 5.27). Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation unless specifically permitted, so a detached unit needs a site-specific rezoning; past garden suites were approved as temporary site-specific zones. Ontario's Planning Act (s. 35.1) overrides zoning provisions that would prohibit one unit in a building ancillary to a house on serviced urban land. [1][2]

Where allowed: Two Unit House (second unit within a detached, semi-detached or row house) permitted wherever those dwellings are permitted (Section 5.27) [3]
Parking: Second residential unit: minimum two parking spaces outside a garage, in addition to the main unit's parking (Section 5.27 a) [3]
Temporary garden suite: Site-specific temporary garden suites have been zoned, e.g. RU-63 (10 years, 2009-2019) and RU-104 (3 years, 2016-2019) [3]
Approvals: Accessory uses do not include 'any building used for human habitation except in accordance with this By-law, as is specifically permitted' (Section 5.1 a.ii) [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. [2][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 · Uxbridge’s term: “single-family dwelling house”

The main residential and rural zones set a minimum gross floor area of 110 m² for a dwelling house, and 185 m² in the Estate Residential zone.

Minimum dwelling size: 110 m² minimum gross floor area in the Rural (RU), Residential Cluster (RC), Shoreline Residential (SR), Hamlet Residential (HR), Residential First Density (R1) and R2 zones; 185 m² in the Estate Residential (ER) zone [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. [2][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.

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

No vehicle body or structure other than a dwelling unit built under the by-law and Building Code may be used for human habitation, whether or not it is on wheels. Trailer parks and mobile home parks are prohibited unless specifically permitted, and the dwelling unit definition excludes trailers and mobile homes.

Where allowed: Establishment of trailer parks and mobile home parks prohibited save where specifically permitted (Section 5.24) [3]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites have been approved only through site-specific temporary zoning (e.g. RU-63, RU-104) [3]
Approvals: 'No truck, bus, coach or streetcar body, or structure of any kind, other than a dwelling unit erected and used in accordance with this By-law, The Building Code Act ... shall be used for human habitation ... whether or not the same is mounted on wheels' (Section 5.25) [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. [11][6][2][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation unless the by-law specifically permits it, and no general bunkie or sleeping cabin permission exists. The only bunk houses are on site-specific farm exception zones.

Maximum size: Accessory buildings: 60 m² total gross floor area in ER, HR, RC and SR zones; 160-250 m² in the RU zone depending on lot area [3]
Maximum height: 5 m (ER, HR, RC, SR and general); RU zone 6.5 m (lots of 8 ha or less) or 8.5 m [3]
Approvals: Accessory uses exclude any building used for human habitation except as specifically permitted (Section 5.1 a.ii) [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. [8][6][2][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The inventory's esolg.ca by-law URL returned 404. The by-law was read from the current download link (uxbridge.ca/public/download/files/311355), an office consolidation dated December 2023. The secondary suites guide covers only units inside an existing house. Search-engine snippets of official Uxbridge pages (a 2019 staff report, 2024 Committee of Adjustment minutes, and 2023-2025 rezoning notices for 'a secondary dwelling unit within an accessory building') say that detached units need a zoning by-law amendment. Those pages were not read directly: escribemeetings returned 403 and the minutes PDF returned 404. Planning Act s.35.1 (2022) may allow one unit in an ancillary building on serviced urban lots whatever the by-law says; this was not checked in this round. Oak Ridges Moraine (ORMCO zone) provisions were not reviewed.

Sources

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Uxbridge 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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