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Cumberland secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

Cumberland, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In the Village of Cumberland a secondary suite is allowed as a secondary use in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-RTMU and R-MU zones (not R-MHP) and some mixed-use and interchange zones. You need a building permit and one extra parking space. The zoning bylaw does not define a coach house.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedAllowed as a secondary use in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-RTMU and R-MU (not R-MHP). Also allowed in the MU-2 and MU-3 mixed-use zones and in some Interchange zones; check the permitted-use table for the zone.Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 10.2(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Secondary Suite 6 S S S -- S S
Secondary Suite n/a S S
Coach house or garden suite allowedThe Zoning Bylaw does not define a coach house or garden suite. It sets a 90.0 m² maximum floor area for each additional detached dwelling unit in the R-2 and R-3 zones (n/a in R-1); an R-1 lot may have up to 4 dwelling units, R-2 up to 3 and R-3 up to 2.Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 10.5(1); Table 10.4(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Maximum Floor Area of Each Additional Detached
Maximum No. of Dwelling Units 1 4 per lot 3 per lot 2 per lot
LimitsOne secondary suite per principal dwelling unit. It must be incidental to and integrated with the principal dwelling, not connected to it through a breezeway, garage or similar unconditioned space, and have its own separate entrance. It cannot be strata-subdivided. Accessory buildings cannot contain a dwelling unit.Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, s. 6.7; s. 6.1(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
A maximum of one secondary suite is permitted per principal dwelling unit.
have its own separate entrance.
No secondary suite can be subdivided from the principal dwelling unit under the Strata Property
No accessory building or structure can contain a dwelling unit or sleeping unit.
Parking1.0 space per secondary suite, in addition to the parking required for the principal dwelling unit.Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, Table 9.4.1(2) and condition 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Secondary suites 2
Parking requirements for secondary suites are in addition to the parking requirements for the
PermitsA building permit is required for a secondary suite. Adding a dwelling unit may trigger Amenity Cost Charges and Development Cost Charges. A development permit depends on the development permit areas that apply to the lot.Building and Plumbing Permits, Building and Plumbing Permits page; Development Permits, Is a Development Permit Needed? · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
construction of an secondary suite
If you are adding a dwelling unit to your property ACC’s and DCC’s may apply.
First determine if your property is within any of the DPAs.
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025 (s. 6.7, Table 10.2(1)); Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026, s. 1.1; https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf, Title page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
This Bylaw may be cited as “Village of Cumberland Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025”.
Cumberland Building Bylaw No. 949, 2012

How it works

Zoning Bylaw No. 1238 allows a secondary suite as a secondary use in R-1, R-2, R-3, R-RTMU and R-MU (not R-MHP), and also in the MU-2 and MU-3 mixed-use zones and some Interchange zones. Check the permitted-use table for your zone.

Rules for a suite: one secondary suite per principal dwelling unit; it must be incidental to and integrated with the principal dwelling, not connected to it through a breezeway, garage or similar unconditioned space, and have its own separate entrance; it cannot be strata-subdivided. Parking is 1.0 space per suite, in addition to what the principal dwelling needs.

Accessory buildings cannot contain a dwelling unit. The bylaw does not define a coach house or garden suite. It sets a 90.0 m² maximum floor area for each additional detached dwelling unit in the R-2 and R-3 zones (not applicable in R-1). An R-1 lot may have up to 4 dwelling units, R-2 up to 3 and R-3 up to 2.

Steps

  1. Find your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer) and check the use table.
  2. Ask the Planner (planning@cumberland.ca or 250-336-2291) whether a development permit area applies to your lot.
  3. Apply for a building permit; one is required for a secondary suite.

Good to know

  • Adding a dwelling unit may trigger Amenity Cost Charges and Development Cost Charges.
  • The bylaw sets no suite size limit or owner-occupancy rule that we found; ask the Planner to confirm.
  • For a detached coach house or garden suite, ask the Planner what the bylaw allows.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Courtenay · Comox · Campbell River · Powell River · Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 1238, 2025, consolidated July 27, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building and Plumbing Permits, Village of Cumberland (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Development Permits, Village of Cumberland (read 2026-11-08)
  4. https://cumberland.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Bylaw-949-Building-Bylaw-CONS-Jan-17-2020.pdf (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.