The provincial rules
- Secondary suites or accessory homes, such as a laneway home or garden suite, are allowed in single-family zones across BC.
- In municipalities of more than 5,000 people, inside urban containment boundaries, lots zoned only for single-family or duplex homes must allow at least three units on lots of 280 square metres or less, and at least four on larger lots.
- Lots over 280 square metres near frequent bus service, meaning a bus at least every 15 minutes on average at set times, must allow six.
- Local governments had to update their bylaws by June 30, 2024.
These are minimums. Each city writes its own zoning to meet them, so setbacks, heights, parking and what a particular lot allows vary from city to city.
In Vancouver
Vancouver has allowed laneway homes on most single-family lots since 2009, and its zoning now allows multiplexes on many lots too. The City runs its own building by-law and permit process, separate from the BC Building Code used elsewhere.
In Surrey and the rest of the Lower Mainland
Surrey and most other Lower Mainland cities have updated their zoning under the provincial rules. They build under the BC Building Code, and each city issues its own permits.
What decides what your lot can take
- Its zoning, and whether it sits inside an urban containment boundary
- Its size and shape
- Whether it has lane access, for a laneway home
- How close it is to frequent transit
- The city’s rules on setbacks, height, parking and trees
How we start
Before anything is drawn, we look at what your property may qualify for, then coordinate the drawings, consultants and permits for a laneway home, garden suite or multiplex.
Sources
- Province of BC: small-scale, multi-unit housing
- Province of BC: SSMUH provincial policy manual and site standards
General information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check with your city before you build.