Secondary Suites, Coach Houses & Garden Suites

Secondary Suites

The City has a policy (the Secondary Suites Policy) to permit the rental of secondary suites within any single detached dwelling in the City, regardless of the zone of the lot. While secondary suites are permitted, residents are required to build it with a building permit and meet the BC Building and Fire Code and current flood protection requirements. Homeowners that intend to include a secondary suite in their dwelling will need to obtain all necessary permits and approvals and comply with the BC Building and Fire Code, City bylaws and other applicable enactments. 

Coach House & Garden Suite Design Guidelines

New secondary suites will not be permitted below the flood construction level as per the Floodplain Regulation Bylaw, but coach houses could be considered as an alternative rental option, subject to appropriate zoning provisions. In conjunction with the Secondary Suites Policy, the City has a development permit process (Development Permit Area 10) for regulating the form and character of coach houses and garden suites. The development permit application must demonstrate the new building meets the design guidelines before a building permit can be issued.

Resources

  • Read the Secondary Suites Policy here
  • Click here to read FAQs about secondary suites, coach houses and garden suites
  • Click here to view design guidelines (Development Permit Area 10) for coach houses & garden suites
  • For more detail, click here to read the Secondary Suites Study