As per land use policies included in the City's Official Plan, lands designated Neighbourhood Area shall promote intensification by permitting additional residential units, including ancillary dwelling units, shared accommodations, and other forms of low impact intensification, which can provide affordable housing options.
In 2024, Council passed a Zoning By-Law amendment to permit up to four dwelling units on residentially zoned parcels of land within Barrie.
An additional residential unit is a self-contained residential dwelling unit, complete with separate kitchen and bathroom facilities located within, and ancillary to, a dwelling. Additional residential units may be located within the principal building or within an accessory building or structure on the same lot.
Additional residential units are permitted within a single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling unit, or street house dwelling unit on a residentially zoned property. An additional residential unit may be added to an existing house or a purpose-built new home, provided all applicable standards can be met.
Examples of additional residential units include:
- Basement apartments
- Apartments at grade or on upper levels of existing homes
- Apartments above attached garages
- Conversion of space within an existing house
- Additions to existing homes
- Within an accessory building or structure
- Backyard tiny homes
- Permanent garden suites or granny flats
- Laneway houses
- Coach houses
- Other standalone ancillary dwellings that are smaller than the main dwelling
Standards
Registration
The City of Barrie requires additional residential units within the city to be registered. As part of the registration process, the City will confirm the additional residential units are legal under the City’s Zoning By-law, and comply with several health and safety regulations. See Second Suite Registration or Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit Registration.