The process on this page applies to residential buildings with five to 10 total residential units. Visit our additional dwelling units page for information about residential properties with two to four total units.
On this page:
About dwelling units
Under zoning bylaw 2019-051, a dwelling unit is a building that contains a room or suite of habitable rooms that:
- is in a residential or mixed-use building
- is occupied or designed to be occupied by a household as a single, independent and separate housekeeping establishment
- has both a kitchen and bathroom used or designed to be used for the exclusive common use of its occupants
- has a private entrance directly from the outside of the building or a common hallway or stairway inside the building
The process on this page applies to residential buildings with five to 10 total residential units.
Visit these pages for information about:
- residential buildings with two to four total units: additional dwelling units
- buildings or properties with more than 10 residential units and non-residential uses: site plans
Types of projects
There are three types of projects you can build with five to 10 residential units:
- multiple dwellings: a building with five or more dwelling units
- street townhouse: a building divided vertically into three or more dwelling units (as the principal use of the building) by common walls that prevent internal access between dwelling units
- cluster townhouse: a site with several buildings each divided vertically into three or more dwelling units (as the principal use of the building) by common walls that prevent internal access between dwelling units
Application process
The application process for multi-unit residential buildings has two parts:
You do not need to complete the site plan application process for residential buildings with four to 10 total units that do not contain other uses within the building or on the property.
If you have any questions, please send us an email or call 519-741-2317.
Zoning confirmation
To confirm that your property is zoned for a multi-unit residential building, you must request a zoning (occupancy) certificate.
In your application, you must include:
- completed application form
- property survey
- zoning plan (fully dimensioned, showing the property lines, existing and proposed buildings, building setbacks and parking spaces)
- fully dimensioned floor plans indicating all the uses of the spaces
- elevation drawings
- existing building drawings
Building permit
Visit our residential building permits page for requirements and application information.
Resources
These resources may help with your project: