Promising Practices

Prepared by: Ahmad Al-Musa, Emma Ezvan, Sami Ferwati

Acknowledgment of research contribution: Ricardo Lopez

First published: June 2023; updated: Nov 2023

The renovation revolution is spreading across Canada, providing much-needed housing supply and options. There are many promising practices that are laying the ground for Missing Little units to be created. We scanned through provincial and municipal official websites and bylaws, and summarized some of the promising practices across the country in the areas of zoning and bylaws, websites and communications, guides, permit processes and applications, financial incentives, etc. Whilst there are many common practices amongst cities listed on this page —such as permitting secondary units or providing clear communication through official websites and guides —a few cities demonstrated distinguished practices.

In the area of zoning and bylaws, the City of Victoria allows four units per lot as of right, and that number can be increased to six units per lot provided that affordable units are included. Within the same category, the City of Toronto allows four units per lot in residential zones, and Hamilton allows the conversion of Single-Family homes to up to four units. The City of Coquitlam permits strata title conversion, which allows existing buildings to be subdivided into two or more strata lots. On September 15, 2023, Vancouver City approved a new bylaw that allows multi-unit housing options in low-density neighbourhoods that were zoned for single-family dwelling units. Depending on the lot size and other considerations, the new bylaw allows between three to six units per lot. Under certain conditions, the bylaw also allows seven to eight purpose-built rental units per lot.

The City of New Westminster offers bonus area for detached ADUs that apply energy efficiency and sustainable building practices. The City of Kelowna applies pre-zoning to allow infill development in certain neighbourhoods. It is noteworthy that an increasing number of cities in Ontario are allowing both a Secondary Suite and a Detached Additional Unit on the same lot, in response to Bill 23 —More Homes Built Faster —which promotes additional dwelling units per lot (up to three units, either all within a primary building or two within the primary building and one as a Detached ADU).

Most cities provide guides for Backyard Suites and Secondary Suites. However, cities like Victoria provide Missing Middle Design Guidelines, Kelowna provides a guide for Infill Challenge Best Practices, and Kitchener provides a guide for Duplex Conversion.

When it comes to permit processes and applications, the identified promising practices included e-permitting, permitting via email, flow charts of the permit process, checklists, clear fees and timelines, and providing sample drawings to illustrate requirements. Some distinguished practices included the pre-approved Infill Challenge designs in Kelowna, and the fee estimator in Surrey.

There are many financial incentives in the forms of grants and loans from all levels of government to encourage Missing Little Units. Other promising practices exist, such as monitoring programs and reports for relevant initiatives in Toronto and Kitchener and residential suites registries in Kamloops, Edmonton, and Greater Sudbury (where the latter also provides data visualization and maps).

You can find more details and links in the dropdown lists below.

Note: These lists are not exhaustive. However, they cover many of the promising practices that are currently being implemented.

Zoning & Bylaws

    • Victoria allows house plexes up to six units on a residential lot. They use bonusing as an incentive to add more units, where four units are allowed as of right increased to six units when affordable units are provided.

    • Victoria allows for Corner Townhouses to increase gentle density. (defined as a building on a corner lot having no less than three self-contained dwelling units with each dwelling unit having direct access to the outside for entrance and exit).

    • Affordable Housing Standard Bylaw: The bylaw o establish affordability standards for rental and affordable home ownership housing in order to protect housing security for low to median income residents, and to apply these standards in housing agreements.

    • Since May 2023 the city allows multiplexes with up to four units per lot city wide.

    • The city allows for garden suites in all residential zones R.

    • The City allows for laneway suites.

    • Secondary suites are allowed

    • The City allows a secondary suite and a backyard suite on the same lot. Also, in certain areas and with certain building types more than one secondary suite is allowed.

    • Since Sep 2023 the City created a single residential zone (R1-1) covering most of the city and replacing previous single-family (RS) zones.

    • The new bylaw and zone R1-1 allows for multiplexing and having 3-6 units per lot. The number of units per lot could be increased to 7 or 8 if the units are purpose-built rentals.

    • Link.

  • In August 2022, as part of the Residential Zones project, amendments to zoning bylaws in Hamilton allowed the conversion of existing Single-Family Dwellings to, up to, four units.

  • The City allows strata title conversion which allows for the subdivision of existing buildings into two or more strata lots.

    • In applicable zones, the City allows for an internal secondary suite and a detached ADU on the same lot.

    • Bonus area (up to 5%) is offered for detached ADUs if energy efficiency and sustainable building practices are implemented.

  • Pre-zoning and rezoning to allow for infill (more details can be found here).

  • Kitchener zoning bylaw allows for two internal secondary suites and 1 detached additional dwelling unit per lot (total of three additional units).

  • The zoning bylaw allows for two additional units per lot, one internal secondary suite and one detached additional dwelling unit.

  • The zoning bylaw allows for two additional units per lot, one internal secondary suite and one detached additional dwelling unit.

  • Two ADUs allowed per lot. Either one internal/attached and one detached or two attached ADUs

Website & Communications

  • The website provides dedicated pages for different type of Missing Middle developments and practices as well as laying out and linking to different funding opportunities. It also provides direct contact information of staff.

  • The City has good pages that explain the requirements and details of Duplexes and Basement Apartments, and a separate page for detached additional units (backyard homes and tiny houses). Some of the notable things about these pages is that they explain the zoning , parking, and pre-permit requirements. They also link to the residential building permit page.

  • A good and clear webpage, with lots of useful links and a video. The webpage also includes detailed requirements and contact information.

  • Webpage is easy to navigate to, it is clear with links to more details. The site covers permit and application requirements, general information, construction information, Building Code requirements, and links to permits and application process. Attached and detached secondary suites information is on the same page.

  • Dedicated page for coach houses that includes links to permit process, steps to build a coach house, a guide, and Q&A.

    • Secondary suites and backyard suites: Clear page that includes a definition of secondary suites, and presents the difference between secondary suites and backyard suites. It explains the difference between legalizing an existing suite and adding a secondary suite. Links to other pages providing detailed information about the application and building process. It also links to videos and webinars.

  • Informative and up-to-date website. Information about the programs , and clear explanation of the application process.

    • Missing Middle webpage: Brief presentation of missing middle housing regulations; step-by-step guide with links to important documents and reports.

    • Garden Suites webpage: Definition of garden suites; review of the Garden Suite Programs and of regulations; step-to-step guide with links to useful documents.

    • Secondary Suites: Brief presentation of secondary suites; step-to-step guide with links to useful documents.

    Missing Middle Housing Initiative FAQ.

  • The website has multiple pages addressing the Missing Little and Missing Middle typologies. There is a general page explaining what Missing Middle housing is, and how it is implemented in the City of Edmonton, with links to the City Plan and other regulatory documents. The City also has explanatory videos that makes communication of information mush easier.

    • 'Missing Middle' Housing: This page contains a definition of missing middle, with photos for each type. There are links to regulatory documents.

    • Secondary suites: This page contains a definition of secondary suites, information of permits with links to useful and more detailed pages. There is also a presentation of application requirements in terms of site plan, floor plan, sound separation, pictures to include, elevation drawings, and structural and engineering documents. Online and in-person application checklists are provided. Finally, there are fees tables.

    • Garden Suites: Even though this page is nor easy to find on the website it contains a definition of garden suites, a short explanatory video, information about the application process and the post-application phase, as well as about fees. There are links to useful documents and pages.

    Secondary suites FAQ:

    This pages provides answers to questions about development and building permits, as well as compliance and enforcement.

    • Laneway housing:

      This page provides a definition of laneway houses, as well as a brief background. There are also links to policy and regulatory documents (the most recent being from 2018), as well as a laneway house guide. Contact details of the Planning Department are available.

    • Secondary Suites:

      This page contains general information about secondary suites (definition, up to date statistics, the explanation of the different steps to creating or legalizing a secondary suite, with links to important pages and links.

    • Secondary Suites FAQ:

      This page provides answers to general questions about secondary suites, questions about existing suites, about the creation of a new suite and about licencing.

  • The website communicates bylaw changes clearly for detached ADUs and secondary suites.

    FAQ for Laneway and Carriage houses

  • Additional Residential Units comprehensive website.

  • Infill housing webpage.

    • Adding an apartment (Secondary Dwelling Units) Ottawa has a step by step page that shows how to start, what is needed, coasts and timelines, required inspections, and how to Apply.

    • Adding a Coach House, Ottawa calls separate dwelling units that are located on the same lot of a principal dwelling a Coach House. Similar to there main page this page takes you through a three step process on how to develop a Coach House.

  • The City has dedicated page for the development of Basement Suites, Garden Suites, Secondary Suites, and Garage Suites, as detailed in the “Permit, Process & Application” section.

  • The City has dedicated pages for Secondary Suites and Carriage Houses (detached ADUs):

    • Secondary Suite Permit webpage: it provides the required information for development as well providing many links and pdfs of required information such as example plans, permit applications, removal requirements, etc.

    • Carriage House Page: Includes links to guides and explanation about the permit process, in addition to a video about Carriage houses in Nanaimo.

  • The Regional page for Nanaimo provides information of Secondary Suites and their bylaws, Suites in Agricultural Land Reserves, and RDN Suite Regulations.

  • Good webpage for Additional residential units.

    • Residential Suites Main Page, this page is easy to navigate and provides resources about ADU and Secondary Suites. This page also has a live registry map of all current residential suites available to the public, and an explanatory video.

    • Residential Suites FAQ

  • This Page contains information about Secondary Suites, provides links to the zoning bylaws, checklists, and forms.

    • Secondary suites and backyard suites: This page includes a definition of secondary suites, and presents the difference between secondary suites and backyard suites, and explains the difference between legalizing an existing suite and adding a secondary suite. Links to other pages providing detailed information about the application and building process. Links to videos and webinars. The page also provides sample drawings, information on building codes and requirements.

    • Secondary suites: This page contains a definition of secondary suites, information about the application process with links to useful documents and pages. There are also links to regulatory documents and contact information.

    • Detached garage or accessory building: This page contains information regarding application requirements, with links to important documents and web pages.

Guides

Permit Process & Application

    • Infill Challenge Design Competition 1.0 : “Through this first competition, two winning designs were selected and formed the basis for a new sensitive infill housing regulations. Over 800 parcels permitted to be able to develop more infill (by rezoning, then known as RU7 Zoning), which allowed up to four units on these urban lots. Since that time, more than 500 infill housing units have been developed on over 150 lots through existing neighbourhoods.” The winning designs were considered pre-approved and were fast tracked which reduced the approval time.

    • Infill Challenge Design Competition 2.0 : “A second Infill Design Competition was held in 2021, to further explore design ideas and opportunities for future infill, this time on larger lots without lanes. The winning submissions represent what infill could look like in other areas of the City.

    • Online permit application with page dedicated for Secondary Suites.

    • Building permit checklist for Secondary Suites in existing dwellings.

  • Clear application process that can be submitted over email. Victoria has a dedicated permit application form for Garden Suites.

    • Accepts permits by email.

    • Provide express service for the conversion of one unit to two units.

    • Apply for a Building Permit link.

  • While there are no dedicated pages for permits related to the Missing Little typologies, the City provides e-permitting option. The process for all buildings can be found here.

    • Secondary suites permit applications can be submitted digitally (online application or through email, they also offer in person option), and they have a direct line for permits.

    • Direct link to the permit application from the secondary suites page, with a dedicated page for permits.

    • They provide a link and a video to explain the development and building permit process, with estimated time.

    • For detached units they provide conditional use application form. Having a dedicated application form for a detached additional dwelling unit can be considered a promising practice, since it can save time and effort for the applicant and the City.

    • Winnipeg has a clear flow chart for the detached ADU application process.

    • Development permit application checklist.

  • Clear process for secondary suites and coach houses. However no time estimate. There seems to be a streamline process if certain documents are submitted together.

  • The City provides a dedicated page for the application, license and permit of each typology as follows:

    • Secondary Suite Development: This page goes through all the requirements and provides all resources needed for those interested in developing a secondary suite development in in St. Albert.

    • Basement Suite Development: This page provides all the information needed to develop a Basement Suite such as permit forms and application check list.

    • Garden Suites Development: This page provides the required information needed to develop a garden suite as well a checklist and an needed application forms.

    • Garage Suite Development.

  • Online building application.

    Secondary Suite Example Plan illustrating what a submitted plan should contain to reduce number of resubmittals and save time.

  • Online application tool.

  • Online building permit application.

  • Hamilton offers online permit application option.

  • webpage detailing permit submission requirements with sample drawings.

  • lots meeting zoning requirements for residential suites can skip the 8-12 weeks re-zoning and public hearing process, and save $1,500 in city fees.

  • These pages give information regarding the pre-application and post-application stages, as well as the application process. They provide detailed information regarding the different types of permits, the associated costs, and timeline. Permit checklists are also available to download:

Financial Incentives

    • Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit: provides up to $7,500 towards constructing a secondary suite for a senior or an adult with a disability.

    • Region of Peel: My Home Second Unit Renovation Program : The My Home Second Unit Renovation Program provides up to a maximum of $20,000 by way of a forgivable loan to eligible homeowners who need to upgrade and legalize their existing second unit. Homeowners can receive an additional $10,000 (total off S30,000) to homeowners who rent to a tenant referred by the Region of Peel.

  • The City provides two programs to incentivize the uptake of secondary and backyard suites. The following link provides details, and FAQs, along with staff contacts.

    • Development Charges (DC) Deferral Program for Ancillary Secondary Dwelling Units

    • Affordable Laneway and Garden Suite Program.

  • Secondary suites exemptions on the additional utility billings if the suite is occupied by a parent or grandparent, or a paid caregiver.

  • Secondary suites Grant Program (Applications accepted until February 2020).

  • Simcoe county, Secondary Suites Program. Provides funding up to 30k per unit for the creation of secondary suites or garden suites.

  • Clarington provides a development charge exemption for the creation of one additional unit (apartment-in-house) in a single detached dwelling, semi-detached building or townhouse dwelling.

Misc.