Tiny Homes

We know that in today’s climate and housing market, people are looking for new ways reduce their carbon footprint while making efficient use of finances to help address the need for more attainable housing.

“Tiny Homes” is just one form of housing that people are looking at to help meet their housing needs.

In Gravenhurst, there are no minimum home size requirements, which means that as long as your home meets the Ontario Building Code requirements, you can make your tiny home a reality here!

First and foremost, before you buy land or purchase a structure to live in or start planning your build, please reach out to the Development Services Department to talk about what rules and regulations may impact your build.

A common question is “Do I need a building permit for my tiny home?” and the short answer for that is “YES! If you are planning to live in it, you need a permit!” Depending on where you are proposing to build, you may also need a Site Plan Agreement or another form of Planning Approval for the home. No matter whether you are looking to build a tiny home with standard wood construction, or you’d like to convert a storage container into a home – or even if you want to live in a yurt – You need to talk to the Development Services team to learn about the requirements of the Town’s Zoning Bylaw and the Ontario Building Code before you start. That way staff can help you understand the rules and regulations in place to ensure your home is safe, secure and located appropriately on your property and your investment is protected.

Some of the important things you should talk to the Development Services Department team about as you consider building a tiny home include:

municipal zoning requirements that apply to your property
designing your tiny home to comply with the Building Code
getting necessary building permits
required building inspections during construction
parking requirements
rules about connecting to municipal services, if your build is in the Urban Centre, or how to obtain a septic system approval.

To help you through the sometimes-complex approval and building process, we recommend you hire at least one of the following: