{"title":"Sayward secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Sayward?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/sayward","name":"Sayward","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":"Village of Sayward","url":"https://www.sayward.ca"},"short_answer":"In the Village of Sayward a secondary suite is allowed in some zones (R-1, R/C, R/I, RU-1 and RU-ALR) if it is inside a building that has only one other dwelling unit. A detached suite or carriage house is not allowed. You need a building permit.","aliases":["secondary suite sayward","basement suite sayward","carriage house sayward","legal suite sayward"],"cost":"See the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"Not stated.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"652 H'Kusam Way, Sayward, BC","note":"Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed holidays)"},{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"250-282-5512"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309 (PDF)","url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Sayward building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Sayward building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Sayward zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Sayward short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/campbell-river","name":"Campbell River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gold-river","name":"Gold River","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/tahsis","name":"Tahsis","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-mcneill","name":"Port McNeill","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-mcneill/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/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 a permitted accessory use in R-1, R/C and R/I zones, and a permitted secondary use in RU-1 and RU-ALR (RU-ALR \"as permitted by LRC policy\").","short":"Yes, in R-1, R/C, R/I, RU-1 and RU-ALR","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 601(2)(e)","quotes":["c) Boarding; d) Buildings, accessory; e) Secondary suites. 3) LOT SIZE The minimum lot area for subdivision is 668m2 (7200 ft2)."]},{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 605(2)(b)","quotes":["b) Secondary suites (as permitted by LRC policy)"]},{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 604(2)(b)","quotes":["2. PERMITTED ACCESSORY USES a) Offices; b) Secondary suites; c) Buildings and structures accessory to the uses permitted. 3. LOT SIZE"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"No. A secondary suite must be within a building containing only one other dwelling unit (Zoning s. 305(1)(a)), and an accessory building cannot be used for human habitation (s. 302(1)(b)).","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"ss. 302(1)(b), 305(1)(a)","quotes":["The use of an accessory building or structure for human habitation;","The suite shall be located within a building of residential occupancy containing only one"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Within a building containing only one other dwelling unit; floor space under 40% of the building's habitable floor space (attached garages and carports excluded); its own access and egress; cannot be strata-subdivided.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 305(1)","quotes":["The suite shall be located within a building of residential occupancy containing only one","The suite shall have a floor space less than 40% of the habitable floor space of the","The suite shall have it’s own access and egress;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"1 space per suite (in addition to 2 spaces for a single family dwelling).","short":"1 space per suite, plus 2 for the house","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 503(1)","quotes":["Secondary suite 1 per suite","Single family dwelling, duplex 2 per dwelling unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"Must be built under a valid building permit, with Village approvals for sewer and potable water.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 305(1)(e)","quotes":["All secondary suites must be constructed under a valid building permit and have the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000, s. 305","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Title","quotes":["Village of Sayward Zoning Bylaw, 2000"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder section 305 of the Village of Sayward's [Zoning Bylaw No. 309](https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf), a secondary suite is a permitted accessory use in the R-1, R/C and R/I zones, and a permitted secondary use in RU-1 and RU-ALR (in RU-ALR \"as permitted by LRC policy\"). Check your zone on the zoning map.\n\nThe suite must meet these limits:\n\n- It is within a building containing only one other dwelling unit.\n- Its floor space is under 40% of the building's habitable floor space (attached garages and carports are excluded).\n- It has its own access and egress.\n- It cannot be strata-subdivided.\n- Parking: 1 space per suite, in addition to 2 spaces for a single family dwelling.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone with the Village Office at 250-282-5512.\n2. Apply for a building permit (see the building-permit answer).\n3. Get the Village's approvals for sewer and potable water.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A detached suite, coach house or carriage house is not allowed: the suite must be inside a building with one other dwelling unit, and an accessory building cannot be used for human habitation (s. 302(1)(b)).\n- The bylaw states no owner-occupancy rule.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/sites/1/files/2025-09/Bylaw%20309%20-%20Zoning%20Consolidated%20Version%2C%20for%20convenience%20only.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 309, 2000 (PDF, consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.sayward.ca/contact/staff-directory","title":"Staff Directory, Village of Sayward","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","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/sayward/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/secondary-suite.json"}}