Building your laneway house
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A laneway house is a smaller, detached home located where the garage would normally go on a single-family lot.
Laneway houses contribute to the overall sustainability of the city.
They give people more opportunities to live close to where they work, shop, and play, and they make the city's urban lanes more green, liveable, and safe.
Laneway housing also contributes to the amount of affordable rental housing available in the city.
Can I build a laneway house on my property?
You can build a laneway house on any lot 33 feet or wider in an RS-1 or RS-5 single family zone.
If you are not sure if your home is in an eligible zone, call 3-1-1, and we can tell you. Or you can look up your zoning online, using our simple map tool.
What kind of house can I build, and how do I apply to build one?
The City has a step-by-step how-to guide for anyone interested in building a laneway house.
The guide will answer your questions about laneway houses, and help you put your ideas into action.
The how-to guide includes:
- Step-by-step help for the application process
- Illustrations of regulations and guidelines
- Sketches of laneway house floor plans and exteriors
- Resources for designing and building your laneway house
- Photos of completed laneway houses
Be sure to carefully review the guide before you start planning your laneway house.
