Backyard Housing

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This information applies to the new construction of backyard housing. Construction of backyard housing requires Development and Building permits

What is Backyard Housing?

Backyard Housing are self contained homes located in the rear yard of a residential property. They may be constructed on vacant lots before any other housing and may be arranged in different forms including single detached, semi-detached and multi-unit. Backyard Housing is also called garden suite, garage suite, carriage house, or laneway home.

The Zoning Bylaw defines Backyard Housing as: a building containing 1 or more Dwellings, that is located wholly within the Rear Yard, and partially or wholly within the Rear Setback of the applicable Zone, of a Residential Site.

Preparing to Apply

Review the Zoning Regulations

Not all residential properties have the same zoning regulations. Your proposed project will need to fit with the zoning regulations of the area where you plan to build.

To confirm a project’s property zoning, use the City of Edmonton’s interactive zoning map.

Go to maps.edmonton.ca
Enter the property’s address in the fields on the left and click ‘Find Address’
The property’s ‘Current Zone’ and ‘Overlays’ will be highlighted.

Type of development, lot dimensions, lot area and placement of buildings will all be assessed before your project can be approved, as part of the Development Permit application.

Infill Pre-Application Meeting

Pre-application meetings are available for new residential infill developments. The infill pre-application meeting is to help people who have interesting and unique residential infill development projects be more knowledgeable about the planning process and their roles and responsibilities in the neighbourhood during construction.

2024 Infill Pre-Application Meeting Fees (effective January 1, 2024): $185

Application Process

With or without Secondary Suite

Application Requirements

For complete submission details for Backyard Housing permits, consult the application requirements.

Online Application

APPLY

Hard copy Application Forms

New House Permit Application Form

Fees

For new construction of Backyard Housing

Fees are based on the square footage of the building that is being built.

2024 Backyard Housing Fee Schedule
Effective January 1, 2024

Your Waste Management Services Fee is affected by building Backyard Housing.

For renovations to lawfully existing Backyard Housing, a Home Improvement Permit (HIP) is required. Refer to Home Renovations and Basements.

After You Apply

The Development Process

The basic development process involves the following steps:

Review: City staff will review all development applications and building plans.

Approve/Refuse: Development permits must comply with zoning regulations and building permits must comply with all applicable safety codes.

Construct: You may start building once you have the approved Development Permit and issued Building Permit.

Inspect: Projects must undergo specific inspections to audit construction. An Occupancy Permit will be emailed to the permit holder following successful completion of all mandatory inspections. See the Residential Inspections page to learn how to prepare, when to request and what to expect during inspections.

Construction Site Management

The Working With Neighbourhoods webpage provides a list of resources and tips for best practices for building.

Prepare your Project Implementation Plan.

Temporary use or crossing of the road right-of-way for demolition, deliveries, and construction requires On-Street Construction and Maintenance (OSCAM) Permits. This is to ensure you are not damaging the boulevard, sidewalk or City-owned trees while you access your site. You should apply for your OSCAM Permit once your Demolition or Building Permit applications have been submitted.

More Information Required

City staff may request additional information at various stages of the Development Permit and Building Permit process. To learn how to reply to a more information request in selfserve.edmonton.ca, see the More Information Requested (MIR) Guide.

Changes or Revisions

Changes and revisions can be submitted at various stages of the process.

To make changes before a Development Permit or Building Permit is issued, consult with the City staff assigned to your file.

After a Development Permit or Building Permit is issued, request Permit Revisions in selfserve.edmonton.ca.

Note: some changes after construction begins may be made without engaging in the Permit Revision process. For details, review Part 9 Project Product Swap and Plan Revision Procedure .

Submit blower door rest results to BPRevisions@edmonton.ca.

Review your permit conditions or the 9.36 section of Energy Code Requirements for ways to resolve Energy Efficiency deviations.

National Building Code (Alberta Edition)

National Building Codes (Alberta Edition) can be downloaded at no charge from the National Research Council.

Government of Alberta Municipal Affairs

Municipal Affairs sets the building codes for the entire province and provides basic information about building regulations.

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