Wellesley zoning for small homes

Township of Wellesley, in the Region of Waterloo. Population 11,318 (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 · Wellesley’s term: “additional detached dwelling unit”

Zoning By-law 28/2006 permits one additional detached dwelling unit per lot in the A1, A2, SR, UR and UR2 zones, subject to size, height, setback and servicing rules. Within the SR, UR and UR2 zones it must be behind the principal dwelling, and in a settlement area it cannot be combined with an attached unit, garden suite or rooming units unless the lot meets a minimum buildable area. [1][2][3]

Where allowed: A1, A2, SR, UR and UR2 zones; must be located behind the principal dwelling in SR, UR and UR2; within the existing building cluster in A1 and A2 (s. 4.2.1.2, k(i), t) [4]
Maximum size: The lesser of the ground floor area of the principal dwelling, 84 m² (900 ft²) gross floor area, or 10% of the total buildable lot area; lofts and mezzanines count toward floor area (s. 4.2.1.2 j, n) [4]
Maximum height: May not exceed the height of the principal dwelling and in no case more than 5.0 m to the peak of the roof (s. 4.2.1.2 k(iii)) [4]
Setbacks: At least 2.0 m from an interior side or rear lot line and 6.0 m from an exterior side lot line; 1.5 m clear emergency access path (s. 4.2.1.2 g-i) [4]
Number allowed: One additional detached dwelling unit per lot; in a settlement area, no additional attached unit, garden suite or rooming units on the same lot unless the lot has at least 3,000 m² buildable area (SR) or 2,000 m² (UR, UR2) (s. 4.2.1.2 b, d) [4]
Parking: One additional parking space, which may be tandem (s. 4.2.1.2 s) [4]
Servicing: Must connect to municipal water and/or sewer where available, otherwise private services to the Township's satisfaction; a scoped hydrogeological study may be required for new structures on lots of 0.8 ha or less without municipal sanitary service (s. 4.2.1.2 e, f, p) [4]
Approvals: Must be affixed to the ground per the Building Code; travel trailers, mobile homes and other towable units, and shipping or cargo containers, may not be used as an additional detached dwelling unit (s. 4.2.1.2 l, q, r) [4]

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. [5][6][7]

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 · Wellesley’s term: “single-detached dwelling”

Section 4.4 sets a minimum floor area of 80.0 m² for a single-detached dwelling, and the SR, UR, A1 and A2 zones each require a minimum of 100.0 m² for a single-detached dwelling. The Paradise Lake Residential (PLR) zone requires a minimum ground floor area of 100 m² (one storey) or 70 m² (more than one storey). [2][8]

Minimum dwelling size: Single-detached dwelling: minimum floor area 80.0 m² (s. 4.4) [4]
Minimum dwelling size: Settlement Residential (SR): 100.0 m² (s. 9.5); Urban Residential (UR): 100.0 m² (s. 10.5) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: General Agricultural (A1): 100.0 m² for a single-detached dwelling (s. 5.5); Agricultural (A2): 100.0 m² (s. 6.4) [3]
Minimum dwelling size: Paradise Lake Residential (PLR): minimum ground floor area 100 m² for 1 storey, 70 m² for more than 1 storey (s. 13.6) [9]

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. [5][10][11][12][13][14][15]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Not allowed · Wellesley’s term: “travel trailer / mobile home / park model trailer”

Section 4.48.2 prohibits using a travel trailer, truck camper, motor home or tent for living, sleeping or eating for more than 30 days per year unless it is in a campground licensed by the Township; the by-law has no mobile home park zone, and mobile homes appear only in a few site-specific exceptions. Temporary garden suites (T2 zone, up to 20 years) require a site-specific zoning by-law amendment and must be prefabricated/modular units, not a single-wide mobile home or trailer. [16][17]

Where allowed: Travel trailers, truck campers and motor homes may be occupied more than 30 days a year only in a campground licensed by the Township; guests may stay in tents or trailers up to 7 days a year in a Residential Zone (s. 4.48.2) [4]
Temporary garden suite: Permitted only by site-specific temporary use zoning amendment under s. 39 of the Planning Act (T2 zone, up to 20 years); max 93 m², one storey or 4.5 m; must be prefabricated/modular, CSA A277 certified, and not a single-wide mobile home or trailer; not to be rented (s. 4.14, s. 24.1) [4]
Approvals: A travel trailer, mobile home or any other towable residential unit may not be used as an additional detached dwelling unit (s. 4.2.1.2 q) [4]

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. [15][10][5][12][11]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Wellesley’s term: “accessory building”

Section 4.2 a) states that accessory buildings shall not be used for human habitation except where a dwelling unit is a permitted accessory use, and the by-law has no separate provision for sleeping cabins. Sleeping space in a detached building would need to meet the additional detached dwelling unit rules.

Maximum height: Accessory buildings in SR, UR and PLR zones: 6.0 m to the peak (s. 4.2 g) [4]
Approvals: Accessory buildings shall not be used for human habitation, except where a dwelling unit is a permitted accessory use (s. 4.2 a) [4]

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. [12][10][5][18]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

Read from the section-by-section PDFs on the Township by-laws page; the Introduction PDF states 'Office Consolidation March 10, 2026'. The OS (Open Space) zone permits campgrounds, but the campground definition refers to seasonal recreational camping. Site-specific exceptions (e.g. A1-5, SR-17, EC-2) permit a mobile home as a second residence on individual properties, some as temporary uses. The by-law has internal inconsistencies on garden suite zones (s. 4.14 intro lists SR, UR, A1, SC, UC; s. 4.14 b lists SR, UR, PLR, A1). No official ADU guide page found on wellesley.ca (1 search).

Sources

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