Where can you build tiny houses in Quebec?

Are your big (or even tiny) plans becoming a reality? Perhaps you've decided to take the plunge and make your biggest dream a reality: living in a tiny house. As you explore this wonderful idea, however, you soon realize that the standards and rules put in place by some Quebec municipalities mean that you can't pursue this dream just anywhere.

Indeed, many municipalities are reluctant to allow these houses to be built in their territory. This reservation is partly caused by a lack of knowledge on the subject, and partly by the unknown (possibly negative) effects that such houses could potentially have on the housing market.

As a result, when you decide to buy a tiny house, you should also begin searching for a suitable location for your project. Let's look at the various cities that allow tiny houses within their territory, as well as the various municipal standards that govern this type of project.

Tiny Houses: Regulations in Quebec

In Quebec, there are several laws that prevent owners of tiny houses from settling where they want. There are three main rules:

1. Homes less than 700 sq. ft. are not covered by the Quebec National Building Code;
2. The construction of a studio of less than 275 sq. ft., or a single-family house with a bedroom of less than 320 sq. ft., is prohibited;
3. The construction of a tiny house that functions as a residential annex on the land of another property is prohibited.

As a rule, tiny houses do not comply with these three laws. However, each municipality is free to amend its own by-laws regarding the minimum size of buildings permitted. The more tiny houses gain popularity, the more cities across Quebec are adapting their rules. So, let's see which municipalities in Quebec have adapted their standards in order to accommodate this type of housing.

1. Neighbourhoods designated for tiny houses

Some municipalities in Quebec allow for the development of neighbourhoods entirely dedicated to tiny houses. This way of working is very interesting, since these exclusive neighbourhoods possess a certain freedom, thus resulting in some rather attractive concepts. Here are just a few:

• Domaine Escapad, in the city of Adstock, offers tiny cottages that seek to provide its residents with a unique way of life amongst nature.
• In Saint-Étienne-de-Bolton, the Domaine des Cantons offers retired people the opportunity to live in tiny houses.
• The Les Boisés de la Rivière Noire project, located in Sainte-Émilie-de-l'Énergie, is a tiny-home project with an energy-efficient focus.
• La Cité Nature de Saint-Donat combines simplicity and opulence with its project of luxurious tiny-homes with a minimum surface area of 535 ft².

Across Quebec, municipalities are accommodating neighbourhoods comprised of tiny houses of various sizes. These new neighbourhoods, whether large or small, are testing the waters to see where tiny houses might eventually slot into the housing market.

Here are some of the municipalities with tiny-home communities, as well as the number of lots available:

• Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac: 10 lots with direct access to the lake.
• Saint-Nicéphore: 30 lots.
• Dixville: 6 lots in the first phase with 12 additional lots in the second.
• Farnham: 54 lots for tiny houses with a minimum area of 576 sq. ft.
• Saint-Côme: approximately 15 lots located in Domaine du Manoir.
• Saint-Donat: 22 lots located in the Eco-Nature Refuge.
• Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson: 200 lots for tiny houses between 300 sq. ft. and 800 sq. ft.
• Chertsey: 34 lots located within the Micro Lanaudière project.
• Saint-André-Avellin: 45 lots for tiny houses with a minimum area of 650 sq. ft.

2. Tiny houses permitted throughout the municipality

In some cities, tiny houses are fully permitted, with this being supported by the municipality. Of course, the latter regulates the construction and siting of these houses through the establishment of various rules and standards.

Some of these municipalities, while not confining their tiny houses to exclusive areas, have nevertheless limited the areas in which they are allowed to be set up. For example, the city of Labelle permits the construction of tiny houses throughout its municipality, except in designated commercial areas.

In the same vein, the city of Saint-Herménégild permits tiny houses provided they are larger than 527 sq. ft. in peri-urban areas. In other areas, the municipality allows tiny houses provided they have a minimum surface area of 269 sq. ft.

Most municipalities that permit tiny houses throughout the city require them to be installed using foundations, floating slabs or pilings. The majority of constraints, however, are primarily related to the size of the houses. Let's take a look at a few cities and their individual size constraints:

• Saint-Justine: Minimum surface area of 215 sq. ft., with a façade of at least 11.4 ft.
• Sainte-Béatrix: Surface area of between 480 sq. ft. and 592 sq. ft. depending on the area.
• Saint-Adrien: Minimum surface area of 350 sq. ft.
• Weedon: Surface area of between 269 sq. ft. and 538 sq. ft., with a façade of at least 14 ft.
• Saint-Isidore-de-Clifton: Minimum surface area of 484 sq. ft., with a façade of at least 22.9 ft.
• Kiamika: Surface area between 269 sq. ft. and 538 sq. ft.
• Lac-Sainte-Marie: Minimum surface area of 592 sq. ft.
• Bowman: Minimum surface area of 538 sq. ft.
• Ripon: Minimum surface area of 376 sq. ft. with a minimum width and depth of 19.6 x 13.45 ft.

3. Tiny houses on wheels at campsites

Although it is more difficult to find a place to put your tiny house on wheels, some campsites have started to accept them. This is the case of various campsites in the vicinity of Lévis and Quebec. Camping Bon-Jour in Granby, Camping Écotourisme Boréal in Mirabel, and Camping L'escapade in Arundel also now accept tiny houses on wheels on their sites.

4. A cooperative of tiny houses

Sherbrooke has also introduced a rather interesting concept: a cooperative of tiny houses. Le Petit Quartier was created in the Fleurimont borough. The owners of the co-operative describe it as 'the first urban tiny-home community in Canada'. With housing models ranging from 700 to 800 sq. ft., owners can enjoy community living with common areas, communal gardens, shared facilities, etc.

5. Tiny houses as accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

As we have seen above, tiny houses that function as accessory dwelling units are prohibited in Quebec. However, in response to their recent surge in popularity, the cities of Quebec and Gatineau now allow backyard tiny houses. The city of Saint-Hilaire also permits this, but with one additional rule: there must be a family connection between the owners of the land and the residents of the tiny house. 

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