{"title":"Sicamous secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Sicamous?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/sicamous","name":"Sicamous","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":"District of Sicamous","url":"https://www.sicamous.ca"},"short_answer":"A secondary suite in Sicamous needs its own outside entrance. Ask Development Services to check the parcel’s zone, proposed floor area and dwelling type before planning a suite or coach house.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"The planning office","value":"250-836-2477"}],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"fence-rules","title":"Sicamous fence rules: permits and height limits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/fence-rules/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Sicamous zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/armstrong","name":"Armstrong","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/spallumcheen","name":"Spallumcheen","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/revelstoke","name":"Revelstoke","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sun-peaks","name":"Sun Peaks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lumby","name":"Lumby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/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":"R-1 lists a secondary suite as an accessory use. The two-unit parcel limit allows a principal dwelling plus a secondary suite or a principal dwelling plus one detached accessory dwelling.","short":"Yes, in R-1","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","section":"Part 4, R-1 general residential, uses and density","quotes":[".2 R-1 General Residential INTENT This zone is intended to support low-density residential Parcels. PERMITTED USES .1  Principal Uses x Single-Unit Dwelling                                     x    Two-Unit Dwelling .2  Accessory Uses x Bed & Breakfast                                          x    Home Based Business x Coach House                                              x    Secondary Suite x Garden Suite",".3    Density Maximum number of Principal Dwelling Units per           x   1 Single-Unit Dwelling; or Parcel:                                                      1 Two-Unit Dwelling Maximum number of Dwelling Units per Parcel:             x   2; 1 Principal Dwelling Unit and 1 detached Accessory Dwelling Unit or 1 Principal Dwelling Unit and 1 Secondary Suite."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Coach houses and garden suites are listed accessory uses in R-1. Check the parcel's permitted dwelling combination and the requirements for the chosen building.","short":"Yes, coach houses and garden suites in R-1","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","section":"Part 4, R-1 general residential, accessory uses and density","quotes":[".2 R-1 General Residential INTENT This zone is intended to support low-density residential Parcels. PERMITTED USES .1  Principal Uses x Single-Unit Dwelling                                     x    Two-Unit Dwelling .2  Accessory Uses x Bed & Breakfast                                          x    Home Based Business x Coach House                                              x    Secondary Suite x Garden Suite",".3    Density Maximum number of Principal Dwelling Units per           x   1 Single-Unit Dwelling; or Parcel:                                                      1 Two-Unit Dwelling Maximum number of Dwelling Units per Parcel:             x   2; 1 Principal Dwelling Unit and 1 detached Accessory Dwelling Unit or 1 Principal Dwelling Unit and 1 Secondary Suite."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"A secondary suite needs a separate outside entrance. Where permitted, the secondary dwelling must have at least 33 m² and may occupy up to 45% of the principal building’s floor area.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 41–42","quotes":[".6 Secondary Dwelling Unit The following regulations shall apply in zones where a Secondary Dwelling Unit is a permitted use: a. Off-Street Parking shall be provided in accordance with Schedule D of this Bylaw; b. the Floor Area of a Secondary Dwelling Unit shall: Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 | PART 3 Page 37 of 146 (i) Not exceed 45% of the Floor Area of the Principal Building on the Parcel on which the Secondary Dwelling Unit is located; and (ii) Have a minimum Floor Area of 33 m²; c. a Secondary Suite shall have a separate entrance from the outside;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"Provide off-street parking as required by Schedule D of the zoning bylaw.","short":"As required by Schedule D","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 41","quotes":[".6 Secondary Dwelling Unit The following regulations shall apply in zones where a Secondary Dwelling Unit is a permitted use: a. Off-Street Parking shall be provided in accordance with Schedule D of this Bylaw;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked CONSOLIDATED DATE, Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024; not found there.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 1","quotes":["District of Sicamous Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 Effective Date – September 11, 2024"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nFirst identify the kind of dwelling you want to add. A suite inside the main building and a separate dwelling in a backyard building can have different names and different permissions in the zoning bylaw. A secondary suite needs a separate outside entrance. Where permitted, the secondary dwelling must have at least 33 m² and may occupy up to 45% of the principal building’s floor area.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the housing guidance in [Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)](https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687). Find the parcel's zone and look up the dwelling type you intend to create. Describe whether the space is existing, new or part of a detached building.\n2. Show the existing dwellings, proposed entrance and parking on a sketch. Ask planning about permitted use and the building office about the work needed for the space.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Provide off-street parking as required by Schedule D of the zoning bylaw.\n- Coach houses and garden suites are listed accessory uses in R-1. Check the parcel's permitted dwelling combination and the requirements for the chosen building.\n- R-1 lists a secondary suite as an accessory use. The two-unit parcel limit allows a principal dwelling plus a secondary suite or a principal dwelling plus one detached accessory dwelling.\n- When discussing an existing unit, distinguish what a current zone permits from any approvals already on file for that particular unit.\n- For a question about the dwelling type, the zone and whether the proposed suite is attached or detached, call the planning office at 250-836-2477.","sources":[{"url":"https://sicamous.civicweb.net/document/125687","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1100, 2024 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://www.sicamous.ca/maps","title":"District of Sicamous Mapping","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://www.sicamous.ca/your-municipality/departments/development-services","title":"Development Services","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://www.sicamous.ca/DOING-BUSINESS/BUSINESS-LICENSING","title":"Sicamous municipal office contact information","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/secondary-suite.json"}}