Wollaston zoning for small homes
Township of Wollaston, in the County of Hastings. Population 721 (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 · Wollaston’s term: “detached additional residential unit”
By-law 55-2023 permits one additional residential unit in a building ancillary to a house, subject to frontage on a year-round municipally maintained public road and minimum lot areas for privately serviced and waterfront lots. ARUs are prohibited on lots abutting at-capacity lake trout lakes. [1]
- Where allowed
- Only on lots with frontage on and direct access to a year-round municipally maintained public road; prohibited on any lot abutting an At Capacity Lake Managed for Lake Trout (LTL-AC); not in the front yard or exterior side yard [2]
- Minimum lot size
- 0.4 ha on private services; 0.8 ha for waterfront lots [2]
- Number allowed
- No more than one additional residential unit in an accessory building or structure on a lot [2]
- Setbacks
- Must meet the minimum yard setbacks of the principal dwelling in the zone, and the Minimum Distance Separation formulae [2]
- Maximum height
- Same as the maximum height for the principal dwelling in the zone [2]
- Maximum size
- Must comply with the maximum lot coverage for accessory structures (5% of lot area for all accessory buildings under s.5.1.3) [2]
- Parking
- One parking space per additional dwelling unit [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 with limits · Wollaston’s term: “single-detached dwelling house”
The Rural, Rural Residential, Limited Service Residential, Waterfront Residential and Residential First Density zones each require a minimum gross floor area of 74.3 m² (800 sq ft) for the principal building. A manufactured dwelling house must also have at least 74.3 m² of ground floor area.
- Minimum dwelling size
- 74.3 m² (800 sq ft) gross floor area in the RU, RR, LSR, WR and R1 zones [1]
- Minimum dwelling size
- Manufactured dwelling house: minimum ground floor area 74.3 m² (800 sq ft) (s.5.19) [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. [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.
Not allowed · Wollaston’s term: “trailer / recreational vehicle”
Section 5.34.1 prohibits using any trailer, motor vehicle, bus, tent or storage container for human habitation unless the by-law specifically permits it, and no zone permits a trailer or park model as a dwelling. A separate licensing by-law (72-2021) allows one licensed recreational vehicle per lot outside the R1 and R2 zones for temporary accommodation, and RVs in tent and trailer parks in the RRC zone. [2]
- Where allowed
- Tent and trailer parks are a permitted use in the Recreational/Resort Commercial (RRC) zone, for temporary parking of travel trailers and RVs, not park model trailers or mobile homes (definition revised by 55-2023) [2]
- Temporary garden suite
- Garden suites (49-65 m², max 4.5 m and one storey, max 4.5 m from the main dwelling, behind the dwelling, sharing its services) require a temporary use by-law of up to 10 years; the definition excludes single or double wide mobile homes and trailers [1]
- Approvals
- Recreational Vehicle Licence (By-law 72-2021): max one RV per lot in zones other than R1/R2; no RV use for more than 7 days a year without a licence; 20 m from lot lines and 30 m from water; RVs must be less than 20 years old [12]
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 · Wollaston’s term: “sleeping cabin”
One sleeping cabin is a permitted accessory use in the Limited Service Residential (LSR) and Waterfront Residential (WR) zones. It is limited to 29.7 m² (320 sq ft), or 55.7 m² (600 sq ft) on lots at least twice the minimum frontage and area, and may not contain plumbing.
- Where allowed
- LSR and WR zones (one sleeping cabin per lot as an accessory use) [1]
- Number allowed
- One [1]
- Maximum size
- 29.7 m² (320 sq ft); up to 55.7 m² (600 sq ft) on a lot with at least two times the minimum lot frontage and lot area [1]
- Kitchen
- Sleeping accommodation only; no plumbing or sanitary waste disposal systems [1]
- Maximum height
- 7.0 m (23.0 ft) for accessory buildings in the LSR zone [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. [8][6][3][13]
Official links
Last confirmed October 2026.
Notes and caveats
Sources
- Comprehensive Zoning By-law 50-10
- Township of Wollaston PDF (wollaston.ca)
- Planning Act (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 299/19: Additional residential units (Ontario e-Laws)
- Development Charges Act, 1997 (Ontario e-Laws)
- Government of Ontario PDF
- Build or buy a tiny home: Building Code requirements (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code Act, 1992 (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 163/24: Ontario Building Code (Ontario e-Laws)
- 2024 Ontario Building Code (Government of Ontario)
- Build or buy a tiny home: permits and inspections (Government of Ontario)
- Township of Wollaston web page (wollaston.ca)
- Building Code updates (Government of Ontario)
Not legal advice
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