Dawson Creek secondary suite and carriage house rules
Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?
Short answer
Often yes in Dawson Creek. Zoning Bylaw 4625 allows a secondary suite inside a single detached house or duplex in nine zones, and a separate accessory dwelling unit (the nearest term to a carriage house) in several. A suite needs a building permit and a City business licence.
Key facts
| Secondary suite allowed | A secondary suite is an accessory use in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, A, CD-1, CD-2 and CD-3 zones, inside a single detached dwelling or duplex (CD-1 also triplexes and townhouses; CD-3 a triplex unit). RM-1 and RM-2: only on parcels with those.Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1; Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 6.11.1 (RS-1); Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 9.1.1 (RM-1); Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 9.3.4 (RM-1); Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, Definition · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingWhere expressly permitted in a zone, secondary suites shall comply with all of the following regulations: h) in the CD-1 Zone, secondary suites are permitted within duplexes, triplexes, 28.3.4 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Bylaw, a secondary suite is permitted within vi. home occupation vii. secondary suite vii. home occupation viii. secondary suite Secondary suites and accessory dwelling units are only permitted as accessory uses for parcels containing a single detached dwelling or duplex. SECONDARY SUITE means a self-contained accessory dwelling unit located within and forms part of a single detached dwelling or duplex. |
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| Coach house or garden suite allowed | An accessory dwelling unit (detached or separate from the house) is an accessory use in RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, RMH-1, INS-1, CD-1 and CD-2 zones. It must be at least 26.0 m², no taller than 8.0 m, on a parcel at least 10.0 m wide, within 90 m of a fire hydrant, and cover no more than 15% of the parcel.Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.15.1; Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.15.1(h)-(i) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingthe floor area of an accessory dwelling unit must be at least 26.0 m² the maximum height of a building containing an accessory dwelling unit is 8.0 m the parcel coverage of the accessory dwelling unit must not exceed 15% of the all portions of an accessory dwelling unit must be: within 7.9 m of the rear parcel line at least 4.9 m from the single detached dwelling or duplex on the parcel an accessory dwelling unit is only permitted if it is located within 90.0 m of a the width of a parcel on which an accessory dwelling unit is situated must be |
| Limits | Secondary suite: one per single detached dwelling; one per unit of a duplex (two); must meet the BC Building Code; owner must hold a City business licence; cannot be subdivided or strata titled; rented only for one month or longer. No suite size limit or owner-occupancy requirement is stated.Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingonly one secondary suite is permitted on a parcel occupied by a single detached dwelling a maximum of two secondary suites are permitted on a parcel occupied by a duplex (one per dwelling unit) secondary suites must meet current BC Building Code regulations secondary suites shall not be subdivided or strata titled shall be rented for periods of not less than one month |
| Parking | Secondary suite: 1 space per bedroom up to a maximum of 2, in addition to the spaces for the main dwelling. Accessory dwelling unit in residential zones: same, 1 per bedroom up to 2 per unit, in addition.Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, Table 5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording1 per bedroom up to a maximum of 2, in addition to the required spaces for the principal residential dwelling unit 1 per bedroom up to a maximum of 2 per accessory |
| Permits | A building permit is needed to build a new secondary suite or to legalize an existing one (apply with the Secondary Suite Application Package by email to buildinginspection@dawsoncreek.ca). The owner must also hold a City business licence.Building and Renovating, Examples of when you need a permit; Residential Building Permits, Get started; Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 5.14.1(d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingbuilding a new secondary suite legalizing an existing secondary suite Secondary Suite Application Package the owner of the parcel on which a secondary suite is being rented is required to hold a City business licence |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 4625, 2026 (s. 5.14 Secondary Suites, s. 5.15 Accessory Dwelling Units, Table 5); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 4287, 2016Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026, s. 1; Building Regulation Bylaw 4287 (consolidated), s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis Bylaw may be cited as “ZONING BYLAW NO. 4625, 2026 BUILDING REGULATION BYLAW NO. 4287, 2016 |
How it works
Zoning Bylaw 4625 (s. 5.14) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use in the RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, A, CD-1, CD-2 and CD-3 zones, inside a single detached dwelling or duplex. CD-1 also allows suites in triplexes and townhouses, and CD-3 in a triplex unit. RM-1 and RM-2 allow one suite or one accessory dwelling unit per parcel. The bylaw also allows a detached accessory dwelling unit in RS-1, RS-2, RS-3, RM-1, RM-2, RMH-1, INS-1, CD-1 and CD-2. "Carriage house" is not a bylaw term. Check your zone on the Official Zoning Map.
Steps
- Confirm your zone allows it (see zoning-lookup).
- Fill out the Secondary Suite Application Package and email it to buildinginspection@dawsoncreek.ca. A permit is needed to build a new suite or legalize an existing one.
- Get a City business licence as the owner of the rented parcel.
- Book inspections as work proceeds.
Good to know
- One suite per single detached dwelling, or one per unit of a duplex. It must meet the BC Building Code, cannot be subdivided or strata titled, and can be rented only for one month or longer.
- The bylaw states no suite size limit and no owner-occupancy requirement.
- Parking: 1 space per bedroom, up to 2, in addition to the main dwelling's spaces.
- A detached accessory dwelling unit must be at least 26.0 m2 and no taller than 8.0 m, on a parcel at least 10.0 m wide, within 90 m of a fire hydrant, and cover no more than 15% of the parcel.
- The bylaw says Development Permit Areas in the Official Community Plan apply in addition.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Pouce Coupe · Taylor · Fort St. John · Chetwynd · Tumbler Ridge · Hudson's Hope
Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw 4625, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Residential Building Permits, City of Dawson Creek (read 2026-11-05)
- Building and Renovating, City of Dawson Creek (read 2026-11-05)
- Fees and Charges Bylaw 3932 (consolidated), Schedules E and F (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
- Building Regulation Bylaw 4287 (consolidated) (read 2026-11-05)
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.