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

# Port Hardy secondary suite and carriage house rules

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

**Short answer:** Yes, in some zones. Port Hardy's Zoning Bylaw allows a secondary suite in R-1, R-1s, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1 zones, and a carriage home in R-1, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1, but only one per parcel. It may not exceed 40% of the house's floor area or 90 m², and needs one parking space and a building permit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Port Hardy, https://porthardy.ca)  
**Cost:** Building permit fees are based on construction value; see the building-permit-fees answer. The 2026 fee schedule has an $83 inspection fee for closing a suite.  
**How long:** About 21 days for a building permit, according to the District's guide.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Municipal Inspector (building permits and inspections), 250-949-6665 (Monday to Friday during regular business hours.)
- In person: District of Port Hardy Municipal Hall, 7360 Columbia St., Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding statutory holidays))

## Key facts

- **Secondary suite allowed:** Yes, as an accessory use where the zone lists it: R-1, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1 (carriage home or secondary suite) and R-1s (secondary suite only). The suite must be completely enclosed within a single detached dwelling. Not listed in the R-3, RM-1 to RM-3 or commercial zones read.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 6.1 R-1](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Carriage Home Dwelling or Secondary Suite Dwelling (see sections 3.10 and 3.11)"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 6.2 R-1s](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Suite Dwelling (see section 3.10)"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.10(c)(1)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "must be completely enclosed within a single detached dwelling;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.10(a)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Where permitted by the applicable zone, only one secondary suite dwelling is permitted per parcel."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Coach house or garden suite allowed:** Carriage homes (detached, completely enclosed within an accessory building) are allowed in R-1, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1, but not R-1s. Only one carriage home or one secondary suite per parcel, never both.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.11](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "A carriage home dwelling is not permitted on a parcel on which a secondary suite dwelling is located." … "must be completely enclosed within an accessory building;"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 6.1 R-1](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "There shall be no more than one Secondary Suite Dwelling or one Carriage Home Dwelling per"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits:** One suite per parcel. A secondary suite or carriage home may not exceed 40% of the house's gross floor area or 90 m², whichever is less. A suite in a new house requires a covenant against strata conversion. No owner-occupancy rule found.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, ss. 3.10(c)(2)-(3), 3.11(c)(2)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall not exceed 40% of the gross floor area of the single detached dwelling or 90 square metres" … "prohibiting strata conversion of" … "only one secondary suite dwelling is permitted per parcel"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Parking:** One off-street parking space on the same parcel for the exclusive use of the suite or carriage home (Table 4.2: 1 per dwelling).
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.10(c)(4)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall require that one off-street parking space be provided on the same parcel for the exclusive use" … "one off-street parking space be provided on the same parcel for the exclusive use of the carriage home"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permits:** A building permit is needed to alter a building or finish an area to add a suite. The District's building permit page tells applicants to consult Building Code Section 9.37. A development permit is needed only on lots in an OCP development permit area; ask the District.
  - Source: [Building Permits, Building Permits page](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/building-permits/)
  - Official wording: "Secondary Suites Consult With Building Code Section 9.37" … "Building permits are necessary to erect, alter, add, move, demolish a building OR to install a new wood burning appliance"
  - Source: [Building Permit Guide, September 2026, p. 2](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Building-Permit-Guide-Final-Sept-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "complete a previously unfinished area in an existing" … "make alterations, renovations or repairs to an existing"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, ss. 3.10 (Secondary Suite Dwellings) and 3.11 (Carriage Home Dwellings), consolidated December 2025; Building Bylaw No. 11-2005.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, ss. 3.10, 3.11](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
  - Official wording: "SECONDARY SUITE DWELLINGS" … "CARRIAGE HOME DWELLINGS" … "District of Port Hardy Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) allows a secondary suite in Port Hardy as an accessory use in the R-1, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1 zones, and in R-1s (secondary suite only). The suite must be completely enclosed within a single detached dwelling (s. 3.10). A carriage home, which is detached and completely enclosed within an accessory building, is allowed in R-1, R-2, RR-1 and GH-1 but not R-1s (s. 3.11). The R-3, RM-1 to RM-3 and commercial zones read do not list either.

## Steps

1. Confirm your zone (see the zoning-lookup answer).
2. Plan within the limits: one suite or one carriage home per parcel, never both; no more than 40% of the house's gross floor area or 90 m², whichever is less; and one off-street parking space on the parcel for its exclusive use.
3. For a suite in a new house, expect a covenant against strata conversion.
4. Get a building permit to alter the building or finish an area. The District's [Building Permits page](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/building-permits/) tells applicants to consult Building Code Section 9.37. Call the Municipal Inspector at 250-949-6665.
5. Ask the District whether your lot is in an Official Community Plan development permit area, which may require a development permit.

## Good to know

- The bylaw read has no owner-occupancy rule for suites.
- The 2026 fee schedule has an $83 inspection fee for closing a suite.
- The District's site links a 2014 Guide to Secondary Suites, but its text could not be read, so it is not relied on here.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf)
- [Building Permit Guide, September 2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Building-Permit-Guide-Final-Sept-2026.pdf)
- [Building Permits, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/building-permits/)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite.md)
- [Port McNeill](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-mcneill/secondary-suite.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/secondary-suite.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/secondary-suite.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/secondary-suite.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/secondary-suite.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/secondary-suite.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/building-permits/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permit Guide, September 2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Building-Permit-Guide-Final-Sept-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 1183-2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1183-2025-OCP-Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1187-2026-User-Rates-and-Fees-for-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Port Hardy. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/secondary-suite/_