Whitchurch-Stouffville zoning for small homes

Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, in the Region of York. Population 49,864 (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 · Whitchurch-Stouffville’s term: “ancillary additional residential unit (ARU)”

A detached 'ancillary' ARU is permitted with a single detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, subject to Section 3.28 and the Schedule 66 ARU permission map. Lots on full municipal services may have up to three ARUs; unserviced lots in the hamlets allow one ARU, Greenbelt Protected Countryside lots outside settlement areas allow a detached ARU only within an existing accessory structure, and ARUs are not permitted in ORM-C (detached), Flood Hazard or Environmental zones. [1]

Maximum size: Lots under 500 m²: 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area, max 56 m². Lots 500–1,499 m²: 50% of the principal dwelling's GFA, max 140 m² (up to 93 m² allowed if 50% is less than 93 m²). Lots 1,500 m² or more: up to 233 m² GFA (Table 1, s.3.28) [1]
Maximum height: 5.0 m on lots under 500 m²; 5.0 m or 6.5 m on lots 500–1,499 m² depending on rear yard provided; 6.5 m on lots 1,500 m² or more; 6.5 m for an ARU above a detached garage (s.3.28 Table 1, xiv) [1]
Setbacks: Not permitted in the front yard. Rear yard: 1.2 m (lots under 500 m²); 1.2 m or 4.5 m depending on GFA of 93 m² (lots 500–1,499 m²); 6.0 m (lots 1,500 m² or more). Interior side yard 1.2 m or 4.5 m on 500–1,499 m² lots; otherwise per parent zone [1]
Separation from house: At least 4 m from another building or structure on the lot that contains a dwelling unit (s.3.28 xvi/xvii) [1]
Number allowed: Serviced single detached lot: up to 3 ARUs total, of which up to 2 may be ancillary (detached) within a single building; three ARUs only on lots with min. 15 m frontage and 555 m² area. Unserviced/partially serviced lots in Vandorf, Gormley, Bloomington, Musselman's Lake and Ballantrae: 1 ARU total [1]
Parking: 1 parking space per ARU in addition to the principal dwelling's parking; tandem permitted (s.3.28 xiii) [1]
Servicing: An ARU is permitted only subject to availability of water and sanitary servicing to the satisfaction of the Town (s.3.28 iv) [1]
Where allowed: Per Schedule 66 ARU Permission Map; not in Flood Hazard (FH) or Environmental (ENV) zones; ORM-C allows only one integrated (in-house) ARU [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 · Whitchurch-Stouffville’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The rural/agricultural (Section 4.2) and residential (Sections 5.2 and 5A.2) zone regulation tables set lot area, frontage, yards, coverage and height but no minimum dwelling floor area. [1]

Minimum dwelling size: None stated in the AG, ORM, RPS, RV or R1 zone regulation 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.

Not allowed · Whitchurch-Stouffville’s term: “tourist trailer / recreational vehicle”

Section 3.12 states that storage containers, trucks, buses, coaches, streetcars, cabooses and boats shall not be used for human habitation, except recreational vehicles in Commercial Recreation (CR) zones, where campgrounds provide temporary accommodation; no zone permits mobile homes or trailer parks. Garden suites are defined as a temporary use and have been permitted by site-specific amendment. [1]

Where allowed: Recreational vehicles only on Commercial Recreation (CR) zoned lands; 'Campground' is defined as temporary accommodation for tents, trailers and RVs [1]
Temporary garden suite: 'Garden Suite' is defined as a detached self-contained dwelling ancillary to a principal dwelling, permitted as a temporary use; e.g. AG(6) at 3402 St. John's Sideroad (By-law 2013-176-ZO) permits one until December 17, 2033 [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 · Whitchurch-Stouffville’s term: “accessory building”

Section 3.6.1 states that human habitation of an accessory building or structure is not permitted except as an accessory farm dwelling unit under Section 3.5; a detached unit with a kitchen may instead qualify as an ancillary ARU under Section 3.28. [1]

Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 4 m in R1–R4, RM1, RM2, RN1–RN5, CM1, CM2 and CMB zones; 5 m in all other zones (s.3.6.4) [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

Read the July 20, 2026 office consolidation, which includes ARU amendments 2024-078-ZO, 2025-046-ZO and 2026-030-ZO (the HAF 'four units' amendment Council approved April 15, 2026). Section 3.28 lists two near-identical clauses (xvi and xvii), both requiring 4 m separation. Lands where 2010-001-ZO was deferred remain under General Zoning By-law 87-34 (not reviewed), and several Minister's Zoning Orders apply to specific lands. A town-wide zoning by-law rewrite (ReZone + ReDesign) is underway to implement the 2024 Official Plan. The guide URL covers interior second suites only; no official detached-ARU guide was found. The Schedule 66 ARU permission map was not reviewed.

Sources

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