A secondary suite or a garage suite requires a building permit. To develop a suite, you must follow the requirements in the Zoning Bylaw and National Building Code of Canada.
Secondary suite requirements
A secondary suite is a self-contained dwelling unit that is in a one unit dwelling. You must meet the following requirements:
- Obtain a building permit before construction starts
- Allowed in residential zoning districts and RMU zoning district
- One suite is allowed in a one unit dwelling
- Not allowed in combination with family child care home, group family child care home, private care home, residential care home, private day care home, residential day care home, custodial care facility, or on a site with a garage suite
- Separate entrance from outside
- One on-site parking space
Garage suite requirements
A garage suite is a self-contained dwelling unit located in a detached garage or similar accessory building. You must meet the following requirements:
- Obtain a building permit before construction starts
- One garage suite allowed on a site with a one unit dwelling in the CR1 and CR2 zoning districts
- One on-site parking space
- Not allowed in combination with a secondary suite
Please see our Secondary Suite and Garage Suite Regulations brochure for complete details on secondary suites and garage suites.
Applying for a permit
Your building permit application must include the following:
- Site plan drawn to scale with metric measurements showing the location of the house and parking stalls
- Floor plan of the house and proposed suite
- Materials to be used and window sizes
- Plan of total square footage of each level of the house and the secondary suite, including entrances, location of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and how separate heating is to be achieved
Secondary suites prior to 2009
You may have a secondary suite in your home that does not meet our Zoning Bylaw requirements because the suite was built prior to 2009. We have the Secondary Suite Program for homeowners who would like to have their suite renovated to meet relevant zoning and building standards.
