February 2025

In late 2023, the Provincial Government passed Bill 44 as part of the Homes for People program to help municipalities build more homes faster. These changes were implemented to increase density throughout neighbourhoods in B.C. which allows greater opportunities for residents to develop their properties and build types of homes that work for people and families looking to rent or enter the housing market. Bill 44 required the District to amend its Zoning Bylaws before June 2024 in order to increase the minimum density standards by allowing more small-scale, multi-unit housing options in land use zones that were otherwise restricted to single-family dwellings or duplexes. The District adopted a new R-1 zone in June 2024 with R-2, R-3, R-4, and R-5 adopted February 18, 2025 for properties in flood hazard areas.

Key changes:

• Properties that were previously zoned RS-1, RS-1A, RS-2, RS-2A, RS-3, and RMH-2 have been rezoned to either R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, or AGRI-4.  
• Parking requirements have been reduced to allow for more small-scale housing options.
• Legislation now prohibits public hearings for rezoning applications which are more than 50% residential and consistent with the Official Community Plan. 

Links to help get you started:

Any property located within the R-1 Zone may build:

• A single unit dwelling (standard detached house)
• A two-unit dwelling (duplex)
• A triplex for fourplex.

Key overview of building in the R-1 zone

• Single and two-unit dwellings have a maximum height of 9m and triplex and fourplex buildings have a maximum height of 11m or three storeys, whichever is less.
• The lot coverage for a single unit or two-unit dwelling shall not exceed 33% of the lot area.
• The lot coverage for a single unit or two-unit dwelling with a secondary suite and accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 40% of the lot area.
• The lot coverage for a triplex or fourplex shall not exceed 50% of the lot area.
• There is no Maximum Floor Area Ratio triplexes and fourplexes.
• Each individual dwelling unit in a triplex or fourplex unit shall not exceed 220m2 in gross floor area.
• The total number of dwelling units on a lot shall not exceed 5 units. This means fourplexes can have one secondary suite, multi-unit flex unit or accessory dwelling unit, and triplexes can have two secondary suites, multi-unit flex units or accessory dwelling units.
• A triplex or fourplex must have at least one parking space per principal dwelling unit.

Read the complete zoning requirements for R-1.

Any property located within the R-2 Zone may build:

• A single unit dwelling (standard detached house)
• A two-unit dwelling (duplex).

Key overview of building in the R-2 zone

Click image to view maps

• Single and two-unit dwellings have a maximum height of 9m.
• The base maximum Floor Area Ratio Per Lot 0.45 or 0.5 with a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit.
• The total number of dwelling units shall not exceed two dwelling units per lot. For clarity, secondary suites and accessory dwelling units are considered individual dwelling units and count towards the two dwelling unit total.

Read the complete zoning requirements for R-2.

Any property located within the R-3 Zone may build:

• A single unit dwelling (standard detached house)
• A two-unit dwelling (duplex).
• A triplex dwelling

Key overview of building in the R-3 zone

Click image to view maps

• Single and two-unit dwellings have a maximum height of 9m and triplex buildings may have a maximum height of 11m or three storeys, whichever is less.
• The lot coverage shall not exceed 33% of the lot area
• The base maximum Floor Area Ratio for a single-unit dwelling is 0.45 or 0.5 with a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit.
• The base maximum Floor Area Ratio for a duplex or triplex is 0.5 or 0.55 with a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit.
• The total number of dwelling units shall not exceed three dwelling units per lot. For clarity, secondary suites, multi-unit flex units and accessory dwelling units are considered individual dwelling units and count towards the three dwelling unit total.

Any property located within the R-4 Zone may build:

• A single unit dwelling (standard detached house)
• A two-unit dwelling (duplex)
• A triplex or fourplex. 

Key overview of building in the R-4 zone

Click image to view maps

• Single and two-unit dwellings have a maximum height of 9m and triplex and fourplex buildings have a maximum height of 11m or three storeys, whichever is less.
• The lot coverage for a single unit or two-unit dwelling shall not exceed 33% of the lot area.
• The lot coverage for a single unit or two-unit dwelling with a secondary suite and accessory dwelling unit shall not exceed 40% of the lot area.
• The lot coverage for a triplex or fourplex shall not exceed 50% of the lot area.
• There is no Maximum Floor Area Ratio for triplexes or fourplexes.
• The total number of dwelling units on a lot shall not exceed 5 units. This means fourplexes can have one secondary suite, multi-unit flex unit or accessory dwelling unit, and triplexes can have two secondary suites, multi-unit flex units or accessory dwelling units.
• The minimum setbacks in the R-4 zone account for flood hazards. 

Read the complete zoning requirements for R-4.

Any property located within the R-5 Zone may build:

• A single unit dwelling (standard detached house)
• A two-unit dwelling (duplex)
• A a triplex or fourplex. 

Key overview of building in the R-5 zone

Click image to view maps

• Single and two-unit dwellings have a maximum height of 9m and triplex and fourplex buildings have a maximum height of 11m or three storeys.
• The lot coverage shall not exceed 33% of the lot area.
• There is no Maximum Floor Area Ratio for triplexes or fourplexes.
• The minimum setbacks in the R-5 zone account for flood hazards. 

More information: 

• Read the complete zoning requirements for AGRI-4.
• Learn more about Bill-44.
• Learn more about District housing initiatives. 

For inquiries regarding building in the new residential zones, please contact the Planning Department on 604.815.5002 or email [email protected].