Woolwich 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 · Woolwich’s term: “accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in a detached accessory building”

One accessory dwelling unit in a detached accessory building is permitted on lots zoned A, R-1 to R-7, MU-1, MU-3, MU-4 and C-2 that have a single, semi-detached or street-front townhouse dwelling, subject to Section 4.4. A Zoning Compliance Certificate is required before the unit is created or used. [1][2][3]

Maximum size: Up to the detached accessory building coverage allowed in the zone: R-1 100 m², R-2 70 m², R-3 to R-5 10% of lot area or 70 m² (whichever is less); in A and R-1 zones a detached ADU does not count toward that accessory maximum (s.4.4 B(iii)-(iv), s.4.2 l) [1]
Maximum height: 4.5 m (peaked roof) or 3.7 m (flat roof); 7 m peaked / 6 m flat where the unit is above an accessory building in A and R-1 zones with a 3 m side yard (s.4.4 F(iii)) [1]
Setbacks: Not in the front yard; minimum 4 m rear yard and 1.2 m side yard; must share the driveway with the main dwelling (s.4.4 F) [1]
Number allowed: 1 unit in the main dwelling plus 1 unit in a detached accessory building, or 2 within the main dwelling (s.4.4 A) [1]
Parking: 1 space for the main dwelling plus 1 space per accessory unit; ADU parking may be stacked (s.5.7 c) [2]
Servicing: Must connect to the lot's existing municipal service (no separate connection) or show adequate private services on the lot (s.4.4 G) [1]
Approvals: Zoning Compliance Certificate from the Township plus a building permit (s.4.4 H(vii)) [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. [4][5][6]

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 · Woolwich’s term: “Residential Building - Single Detached”

The residential and agricultural zones set a minimum ground floor area for dwellings. In the R-1 and Agricultural zones the minimum is 100 m² for a one-storey dwelling. [7][8]

Minimum dwelling size: Minimum ground floor area, one-storey: R-1 100 m², R-2 and R-3 85 m², R-4 and R-5 70 m², R-6 and R-7 60 m²; more than one storey: R-1 to R-3 70 m², R-4 55 m², R-5 to R-7 50 m² (Table 7.3 h) [7]
Minimum dwelling size: Agricultural (A) zone minimum ground floor area: 100 m² (1 storey), 70 m² (more than 1 storey) (s.6.2) [8]

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. [4][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · Woolwich’s term: “mobile home / trailer”

A single detached dwelling is defined to exclude trailers, mobile homes, recreational vehicles and motor homes. A CSA Z240 mobile home is allowed only as an accessory dwelling unit in the Agricultural zone or where site-specific zoning permits it. Camping trailers and truck or vehicle bodies cannot be used as accessory units. [15][1][8]

Where allowed: Agricultural zones, or site-specific zoning that permits a mobile home, as an accessory dwelling unit (s.4.4 A(ii); Table 6.1) [1]
Permitted forms: ADUs may include mobile homes, converted storage containers or trailers where permitted in the underlying zone and the Building Code allows, but not camping trailers, tents, yurts, truck/vehicle bodies or unconverted containers (s.4.4 F(vii)) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suite is defined as a transportable dwelling unit for temporary accommodation of farm help or relatives (trailer, mobile or modular home, or an ADU under s.4.4); a mobile home may also be used as a temporary residence in the A zone for up to 12 months while a new house is built (s.4.39 c) [15]

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. [14][9][4][11][10]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

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

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation unless permitted elsewhere in the by-law, and the only such permission is an accessory dwelling unit (which must be self-contained with cooking facilities). The by-law has no separate bunkie or sleeping cabin provision. [1][15]

Habitation rule: Accessory buildings shall not be used for human habitation unless permitted elsewhere (s.4.2 b); accessory residential buildings are not for habitation unless permitted as an Accessory Dwelling Unit (s.3) [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. [11][9][4][16]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The by-law is posted as section PDFs dated Aug 18-21, 2026. The preamble states 'Consolidated to July 31, 2026' and lists amendments up to By-law 09-2026 (General Amendment). Former By-law 55-86 still applies to lands under Deferrals 1 and 2 (Albert/Water Street lands and 49/55 Isabella Street in St. Jacobs) and to lands under pending Official Plan Amendments 4, 5 and 6. For backyard suites in the A and R-1 zones, s.4.4 B(iv) exempts the unit from the accessory building coverage cap but states no separate size cap. A Doddy House (an expansion or conversion of an existing building) is also a permitted additional dwelling form in the A zone. An amendment is under way (engagewr.ca/2025-Woolwich-ZBL) and was not reviewed.

Sources

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Woolwich 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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