Saanich secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a garden suite in Saanich?

Saanich, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-06

Short answer

Yes. In Saanich a secondary suite is a permitted use in all RS, RD and A zones, inside a single family dwelling or houseplex. Detached garden suites are allowed on some lots. You need a building permit and then an occupancy permit before anyone moves in.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowed	Yes. A secondary suite is a permitted accessory use in all RS, RD and A zones, inside a single family dwelling or houseplex.Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.24(b); Secondary Suites · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording a secondary suite is a permitted accessory use in all RS, RD, and A zones The secondary suite must be located within a single family dwelling or houseplex; Secondary suites are a permitted accessory use in all RS, RD and A zones.
Coach house or garden suite allowed	Garden suites (detached) are allowed on RS and RD lots in a zone listing Garden Suite as a use, inside the Sewer Service Area and/or Urban Containment Boundary, at least 400 m² and 12 m wide, with a single family dwelling. One per lot. Not for short-term rental, bed and breakfast or boarding.Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.35; Garden Suites · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The lot must be within the Sewer Service Area and/or within the Urban Containment Boundary; The lot must have a minimum area of 400 m2; The lot must be a minimum of 12 m wide; and No more than one garden suite is permitted on a lot. Short-term rental use is prohibited in a garden suite. Be in an RS or RD* zone as of June 30, 2024 both a garden suite and a secondary suite will be permitted on RS and RD zoned properties
Limits	One secondary suite per real estate entity, inside the house or houseplex (not on a separate titled parcel); no boarding. On RS lots outside the Urban Containment Boundary: one secondary suite or one garden suite. No separate suite size limit found; the dwelling's total floor area follows its zone (e.g. RS-2: FSR 0.50 or 215 m²). No owner-occupancy rule found.Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.24(b); Secondary Suites · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No more than one secondary suite is permitted per real estate entity; Boarding is not permitted within the secondary suite. c) Not more than one secondary suite or one garden suite on any RS zoned lot outside of the (c) Shall not exceed a Floor Space Ratio (R) of 0.50 or You must meet the conditions of the relevant zone or Schedule G (e.g. maximum floor area/floor space ratio). may not be connected to the primary dwelling unit by a breezeway or enclosed hallway
Parking	One additional on-site parking space for the suite occupant, unless the regulations say otherwise. Tandem parking on the driveway is allowed. The space must have an energized EV outlet for Level 2 charging.Secondary Suites; Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.24(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Unless the applicable regulations say otherwise, you must provide one additional onsite parking space for the Secondary Suite occupant. We allow tandem parking on the driveway. The Secondary Suites parking space must also have an Energized EV Outlet for Level 2 electric vehicle charging. one additional on-site parking space for the occupant of the suite must be installed
Permits	A building permit (Renovation or Addition application for an existing house; New Build for a new one), then an occupancy permit for the suite from Inspection Services, which is required before anyone occupies it. A garden suite needs a building permit and plumbing permit.Secondary Suites; Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.24(b); Garden Suites, Garden Suites FAQ · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Complete and submit a Renovation Application. You need an Occupancy Permit for the Secondary Suite from the Saanich Building Inspections Division Same as above, except you would need to complete and submit a New Build Application. unless an occupancy permit has been issued for the secondary You will need a Building Permit and Plumbing Permit.
Bylaw	Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (ss. 5.24 and 5.35); Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 9529https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf, Schedule 5; Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 9529, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording ZONING BYLAW, 2003, NO. 8200 BUILDING BYLAW, 2019, NO. 9529

How it works

Under the Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200, s. 5.24, a secondary suite is a permitted accessory use in all RS, RD and A zones, inside a single family dwelling or houseplex.

One secondary suite per real estate entity, inside the house or houseplex (not on a separate titled parcel). No boarding.
On RS lots outside the Urban Containment Boundary, you may have one secondary suite or one garden suite.
The zoning rules read set no separate size limit for the suite, and no rule that the owner must live there. The dwelling's total floor area follows its zone. Ask Planning to confirm for your lot.

A garden suite (detached) is allowed on RS and RD lots in a zone that lists Garden Suite as a use, inside the Sewer Service Area and/or Urban Containment Boundary, on a lot at least 400 m² and 12 m wide with a single family dwelling. One per lot. It cannot be used for short-term rental, bed and breakfast or boarding.

Steps

Confirm your zone allows a suite (see the zoning-lookup answer).
Apply for a building permit through MySaanich: Renovation or Addition for an existing house, New Build for a new one.
Provide one additional on-site parking space for the suite occupant, unless the regulations say otherwise. Tandem parking on the driveway is allowed. The space must have an energized EV outlet for Level 2 charging.
Get an occupancy permit for the suite from Inspection Services. It is required before anyone occupies the suite.

Good to know

A garden suite needs a building permit and a plumbing permit.
Short-term rental of a suite is not allowed in Saanich; see the short-term-rental answer.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Oak Bay · Esquimalt · Victoria · View Royal · Central Saanich · Colwood

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

Sources

Secondary Suites, District of Saanich (read 2026-11-06)
Garden Suites, District of Saanich (read 2026-11-06)
Zoning Bylaw, 2003, No. 8200 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Building Bylaw, 2019, No. 9529 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
https://www.saanich.ca/assets/Local~Government/Documents/Bylaws~and~Policies/ticket-bylaw-2010-no-9029.pdf (read 2026-11-06)

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.