---
title: Port Edward secondary suite and carriage house rules
question: "Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?"
place: Port Edward, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/port-edward
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Port Edward
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/secondary-suite/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/secondary-suite.json"
---

# Port Edward secondary suite and carriage house rules

**Question:** Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

**Short answer:** In Port Edward a secondary suite is allowed in the A1, A2, R1 and R2 zones, but only inside a single family dwelling. The Zoning Bylaw lists no coach house or garden suite. You need a building permit, and 1 parking space for the suite.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Port Edward, https://www.portedward.ca)  
**Cost:** See the building-permit-fees answer. No suite-specific fee is stated.  
**How long:** No processing time is stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District of Port Edward office, 250-628-3667
- Phone: City of Prince Rupert (building permit services for the District), 250-627-0946

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** A secondary suite is a permitted accessory use in the A1, A2, R1 and R2 zones, and only inside a single family dwelling. In A2, R1 and R2, a basement suite needs a separate entrance from ground level.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Part 3, Accessory Suites](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Suites shall be permitted only in Single Family Dwellings." … "no Accessory Suite shall be permitted in any" … "Basement unless such suite is provided with a separate entrance from ground"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Part 5, R1 Zone](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "In the R1 Zone, the following Accessory Uses are permitted and all others" … "Secondary Suite."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Table 2, Definitions (Secondary Suite)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Means a Dwelling Unit added to and wholly contained within a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** No coach house or garden suite is listed. An accessory building may not be used as a dwelling except as the Zoning Bylaw otherwise provides.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Part 3, Accessory Buildings](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "An Accessory Building or Structure shall not be used as a dwelling, except as" … "otherwise provided for in this Bylaw."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** A suite must be wholly contained within a single family dwelling.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Table 2, Definitions (Secondary Suite)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Means a Dwelling Unit added to and wholly contained within a" … "Single Family Dwelling, for Use as a complete, independent living"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** 1 parking space per dwelling unit for an accessory suite or secondary suite. A single family dwelling needs 2 spaces.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Part 6, Table 6](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Accessory Suite 1 per Dwelling Unit" … "Single Family Dwelling 2 per Dwelling Unit"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit is needed to construct or alter. The OCP says secondary suites are permitted in single family homes subject to the BC Building Code. No suite-specific or development permit is stated.
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 716, s. 9.1.1](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws/716BuildingBylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a building permit before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure;"
  - Source: [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 712, OCP s. 7.5 (Residential Policies), item 6](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/712_OCP_Final-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Secondary suites are permitted in single family homes subject to the provisions of the BC"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 713, 2020 (Part 3 Accessory Suites; Part 6 Table 6); Building Bylaw No. 716
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 713, Title page](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw No. 713, 2020"
  - Source: [Building Bylaw No. 716, Title page](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws/716BuildingBylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Building Bylaw No. 716"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

In the District of Port Edward, the [Zoning Bylaw No. 713](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf) permits a secondary suite as an accessory use in the A1, A2, R1 and R2 zones, and only inside a single family dwelling. The suite must be wholly contained within the dwelling. In A2, R1 and R2, a basement suite needs a separate entrance from ground level.

The bylaw lists no coach house, carriage house or garden suite. An accessory building may not be used as a dwelling except as the Zoning Bylaw otherwise provides.

## Steps

1. Check your zone with the District office (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Apply for a building permit to construct or alter the space; the application must show parking. See the building-permit answer.
3. Provide 1 parking space for the suite, in addition to the 2 a single family dwelling needs.

## Good to know

- The Official Community Plan ([Bylaw 712](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/712_OCP_Final-2.pdf)) says secondary suites are permitted in single family homes subject to the BC Building Code.
- No suite-specific permit or development permit is stated.
- The bylaw sets no size limit, cap on the number of suites, or owner-occupancy rule that we found. Ask the District office at 250-628-3667.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 713 (PDF)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf)
- [Building Bylaw No. 716 (PDF)](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws/716BuildingBylaw.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Port Edward building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/building-permit.md)
- [Port Edward zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Port Edward building permit fees](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/building-permit-fees.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Prince Rupert](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/secondary-suite.md)
- [Kitimat](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/secondary-suite.md)
- [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/secondary-suite.md)
- [Masset](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/masset/secondary-suite.md)
- [Port Clements](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-clements/secondary-suite.md)
- [Daajing Giids](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/daajing-giids/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 713 (PDF), District of Port Edward](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/713_Zoning_Consolidated_Bylaw_2023-2.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Bylaw No. 716 (PDF), District of Port Edward](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws/716BuildingBylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 712 (PDF), District of Port Edward](https://www.portedward.ca/uploads/_bylaws_business_development/712_OCP_Final-2.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [District of Port Edward home page](https://www.portedward.ca/) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Port Edward. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/secondary-suite/_