Homes and Garden Suites:
Zoning and Permits
A factory-built home or garden suite goes through the same zoning and building permit as any house. What changes the path is the lot: whether it is on municipal services, on a well and septic, on farmland or near water. Here is what applies to each, and what is inspected when the home arrives.
Rules checked · drawn from Ontario, CMHC and municipal published material
Start With the Lot
What Applies to Your Lot
Ontario’s as-of-right permissions were written for serviced urban lots. Outside them, your municipality’s official plan and zoning decide, and the servicing has to work.
| Your lot | Extra units | Servicing | Approvals to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban, on municipal water and sewer | Up to 3 units as-of-right: 3 in the house, or 2 plus 1 in a building in the yard | Connections to municipal services | Building permit; a minor variance only if a setback or height still does not fit |
| Rural, on a well and septic | Set by the municipality’s official plan and zoning | A septic system with capacity for the added unit | Building permit and septic permit |
| Farm in a prime agricultural area | Up to 2 additional units where a house is permitted, subject to criteria | Appropriate sewage and water services | Building and septic permits; units stay with the farm and cannot be severed |
| Shoreline, floodplain or near a wetland | As above, by location | As above | A conservation authority permit as well, before the building permit |
Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine plans are more restrictive where they apply. Always confirm with your municipality’s planning department before ordering.
Zoning
What Ontario Overrides
On serviced urban lots, the province has removed several of the zoning rules that used to block a second or third unit.
As-of-right additional units
- Up to three units on a residential lot with full municipal water and sewer, without a rezoning
- The province overrides local limits on lot coverage, floor space index, minimum lot size, angular planes and building separation for these units
- Municipalities cannot set a minimum unit size or require more than one parking space per unit
Charges
- Additional residential units are exempt from development charges and parkland charges
- Detached garden suites under 100 m² are exempt from development charges
- On rural lots, check your municipality’s development charge by-law
Setbacks and variances
- Ontario has approved a rule allowing a building within 10% of a required setback without a minor variance, on urban residential land outside the Greenbelt
- It does not apply on rural lots, or near shorelines, railways or hazardous lands
- Where a variance is still needed, the committee of adjustment hears it
Garden suite or additional unit
- Under the Planning Act, a garden suite is a one-unit detached home with a kitchen and bathroom, ancillary to an existing house and designed to be portable
- A temporary use by-law can allow one for up to 20 years, with three-year extensions
- A permanent detached unit in the yard is an additional residential unit instead, under the as-of-right rules
Servicing and Site
Septic, Water and Shorelines
On a rural or cottage lot, the permit that takes longest is often not the building permit.
Septic systems
- Septic systems up to 10,000 litres a day that sit wholly on the lot are governed by Part 8 of the Building Code
- The permit usually comes from the municipality, but in some areas from the health unit, conservation authority or upper-tier municipality
- A second unit on a septic system is permitted where the system has the capacity for it, so expect a capacity check and possibly an upgrade
Conservation authority permits
- Development in floodplains, along shorelines and watercourses, and near wetlands needs a conservation authority permit in addition to local approvals
- Since April 2024 one provincial regulation governs these permits, and the wetland setback area is 30 m
- Ontario is merging its 36 conservation authorities into 9 regional ones, targeted for February 1, 2027
Private roads and water access
- Some municipalities will not issue a building permit until a private access road is approved, with an agreement registered on title
- Water-access-only lots usually need a parking and docking arrangement on the mainland
- Rules vary by township, so ask your municipality early
Delivery to the site
- A factory-built home arrives by truck and is set by crane, so the route and crane access are confirmed before manufacturing starts
- Foundations, servicing and grading are site work, built by your own contractor or your dealer’s crew
- Your dealer starts with a site analysis to catch access problems before you order
Permit and Inspection
From Application to Occupancy
The Building Code sets how fast a municipality must decide, and how factory work is treated when the home arrives.
The permit clock
- For a complete application for a house, the Building Code gives the municipality 10 days to issue the permit or refuse it with reasons
- A detached structure serving a house, up to 55 m², has the same 10-day period
- The clock starts only when the application is complete, so submit the full drawing set
Factory work and site inspection
- Factory-built homes certified to CSA A277 meet the Building Code’s requirements for the factory portion
- Concealed work in certified units generally does not need re-inspection on site
- The inspector still checks the foundation, how the home is anchored, the grading, and the plumbing and electrical connections before occupancy
Size and height minimums
- The Building Code’s minimum size for a dwelling is 17.5 m² (188 sq ft) for an open-concept layout
- Ceilings need 2,300 mm over at least 75% of the living, dining and kitchen area
- A structure on wheels can still count as a building if it stays in place and is connected to services
Financing the build
- CMHC Prefab Plus insures financing for new factory-built homes with as little as 5% down
- Funds are advanced in up to four draws tied to milestones, from site preparation to delivery to installation
- A home fixed to a foundation uses this standard route; movable homes use CMHC chattel financing
What Comes With the Home
What Goes Into Your Permit Application
EpicMod is the manufacturer, and your dealer is your contact from site analysis to delivery. You are the owner-builder; the site work stays with your own trades or your dealer’s crew.
- The engineering drawing set for the permit: architectural and structural for an exterior-finished shell, plus mechanical and electrical and CSA A277 certification for fully finished homes
- Nine models, from a 300 sq ft one-bedroom garden suite to a 900 sq ft three-bedroom home, all single storey
- Delivery 10 to 12 weeks after order, with the home built while your foundation and services go in
- A 2-year structural warranty on the module
Not included in the unit price
- GST/HST, transportation and crane
- Site clearing and servicing, foundations, utility connections, and permit or approval fees
- Interior finishing on an exterior-finished shell. Site work is the property owner’s responsibility, handled by your own trades or your dealer’s crew
How you buy
- Homeowners buy through the authorized EpicMod dealer for their area, who quotes the home and helps with the site analysis
- EpicMod does not publish prices; your dealer quotes your home
- Find your dealer
Questions
Zoning and Permit FAQ
On a residential lot with full municipal water and sewer, usually yes: Ontario allows up to three units as-of-right, two in the house and one in a building in the yard. You still need a building permit, and setbacks and height set by your municipality still apply. On rural lots with a well and septic, your municipality’s official plan and zoning decide.
Possibly. A second unit on a septic system is permitted where the system has the capacity for the extra flow, and system size is based on bedrooms and fixtures. Expect your building department or septic authority to check the existing system, and to require an upgrade permit if it is undersized.
For a complete application for a house, Ontario’s Building Code gives the municipality 10 days to issue the permit or refuse it with reasons. The clock starts when the application is complete, which is why the engineering drawing set comes with every EpicMod home.
The factory portion of a home certified to CSA A277 is accepted under the Building Code, and concealed factory work generally is not re-inspected on site. The municipal inspector still checks the foundation, anchoring, grading and the plumbing and electrical connections before occupancy.
If the lot is in a floodplain, along a shoreline or watercourse, or within 30 m of a wetland, usually yes, in addition to your building permit. Contact your conservation authority early; they hold the maps of regulated areas.
Next Step
Start With Your Lot
Your EpicMod dealer starts with a site analysis: access, servicing, setbacks and the right model for the lot. Then you get a written quote and the drawing set for your permit.
Rules and amounts are drawn from each government body’s published material on the date shown. Programs and regulations change. Confirm with the administering body, your municipality and your own accountant or lawyer before making a decision. EpicMod does not provide tax, legal or planning advice.