{"title":"Grand Forks secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/grand-forks","name":"Grand Forks","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Grand Forks","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca"},"short_answer":"Often yes. In the City of Grand Forks, a secondary suite is allowed on every parcel where a single-family dwelling is allowed, and the R-1 and R-2 zones also allow one detached garden suite (the bylaw's term for a carriage house). You need a building permit.","aliases":["secondary suite grand forks","basement suite grand forks bc","garden suite grand forks","carriage house grand forks","granny flat grand forks"],"cost":"No suite-specific fee is stated. The building permit is 1.0% of construction value for residential work; a change of occupancy is $100 plus 0.7% (Building Bylaw 2070, Appendix A). The bylaw does not say which applies to a suite.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Planner and Building Inspection, City of Grand Forks","value":"250-442-8266"},{"type":"email","label":"City of Grand Forks","value":"info@grandforks.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"City Hall","value":"7217 4th Street, Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0","note":"Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, consolidated (PDF)","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF)","url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Grand Forks zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Grand Forks building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Grand Forks building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/building-permit-fees/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/greenwood","name":"Greenwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/greenwood/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/rossland","name":"Rossland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/warfield","name":"Warfield","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/trail","name":"Trail","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/montrose","name":"Montrose","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/castlegar","name":"Castlegar","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/secondary-suite/"}],"topic":{"title":"Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite/"},"facts":{"suite_allowed":{"label":"Secondary suite allowed","value":"A secondary suite is permitted on every parcel where a single-family dwelling is permitted, subject to s. 29. R-1 and R-2 zones expressly allow one single-family dwelling plus one secondary suite and one garden suite.","short":"Yes, on every parcel allowing a single-family dwelling","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 29.1","quotes":["29.1   Notwithstanding the regulations set out in Part VI of this bylaw, a secondary suite is","permitted on every parcel where a single-family dwelling is permitted, subject to the"]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 36.4, 39.5","quotes":["One single-family dwelling, plus one secondary suite and one garden suite; or"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"A garden suite (detached) is allowed in R-1 and R-2 zones (with a single-family dwelling, or with a two-family dwelling), and as one accessory garden suite in NC and TC zones. It must be 12 to 90 m², on a permanent foundation, not strata titled, and cannot include a secondary suite.","short":"Yes, garden suite in R-1, R-2, NC, TC zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 36.4, 39.5","quotes":["One two-family dwelling, plus one garden suite."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 46.3, 49.7","quotes":["One garden suite.","49.7    One Garden Suite shall be permitted."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 22","quotes":["22.1   A Garden Suite shall have a minimum floor area of 12 sq. m. and a maximum floor area of 90","22.5   A Garden Suite shall not be permitted to be strata titled.","22.6   A Garden Suite shall not include a Secondary Suite."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Secondary suite: no more than 90 m² or 40% of the floor area of the principal single-family dwelling, whichever is less; only one suite per parcel. Garden suite: 12 to 90 m².","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 29.3-29.4","quotes":["29.3   The secondary suite shall not exceed 90 square metres or 40% of the floor area of the","29.4   No more than one secondary suite shall be located on a parcel of land."]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 22.1","quotes":["22.1   A Garden Suite shall have a minimum floor area of 12 sq. m. and a maximum floor area of 90"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"Table 2 requires one space per dwelling unit of 90 m² or less and two spaces per unit over 90 m². It does not mention suites by name; a suite is capped at 90 m².","short":"1 space per unit of 90 m² or less; 2 if larger","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 26.10, Table 2","quotes":["Dwelling unit (greater than 90","Dwelling Unit (equal to or under","one space per every unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit is needed to build or alter a suite. The suite must meet all statutory and bylaw requirements, including approval from the agency responsible for sewage disposal.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 7.1","quotes":["(a) constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure, including a. pool or"]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"s. 29.2","quotes":["29.2   A secondary suite shall comply with all statutory and bylaw requirements, including","approval from the agency having the jurisdiction for the proposed means of sewage"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018 (s. 22, 29, Part VI zones) and Building Bylaw No. 2070","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"title","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW NO. 2039, 2018","29     Secondary Suites"]},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","section":"title","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW No. 2070"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe City of Grand Forks [Zoning Bylaw 2039](https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf) allows a secondary suite on every parcel where a single-family dwelling is permitted (section 29.1). The R-1 and R-2 zones expressly allow one single-family dwelling plus one secondary suite and one garden suite. A garden suite is also allowed with a two-family dwelling in those zones, and as one accessory garden suite in NC and TC zones. R-1A, R-4 and R-4A list no garden suite.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your lot's zone (see the zoning lookup answer).\n2. Talk to the Planner (250-442-8266) before drawing plans.\n3. Apply for a building permit. The suite must meet all statutory and bylaw requirements, including approval from the agency responsible for sewage disposal.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Secondary suite: no more than 90 m² or 40% of the principal dwelling's floor area, whichever is less, and only one per parcel.\n- Garden suite: 12 to 90 m², on a permanent foundation, not strata titled, and it cannot include a secondary suite.\n- A garden suite or other accessory dwelling unit may be up to 7.6 m high. With no direct highway access, a garden suite needs a pathway 1 m wide.\n- Parking: Table 2 requires one space per dwelling unit of 90 m² or less and two per unit over 90 m². It does not name suites; ask the Planner to confirm.\n- R-1A zone: the bylaw's wording conflicts with section 29.1, so ask the Planner.\n- The Zoning Bylaw requires no development permit for a suite in the zones read, but one may apply in an Official Community Plan development permit area.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/By2039-Zoning-Bylaw-CONSOLIDATED.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2039, 2018, unofficial consolidation (Amendments A1-A40, updated October 13, 2026) (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bylaw2070Building-Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2070 (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.grandforks.ca/wp-content/uploads/PAYMENT-OPTIONS.pdf","title":"Payment Options (PDF), City of Grand Forks","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/grand-forks/secondary-suite.json"}}