Additional Dwelling Units (Secondary Units)

Under Zoning By-law No.79-200:

A maximum of 2 ADUs can be located on a parcel of urban residential land which is within the Urban Area Boundary on which residential use is permitted and is served by municipal sewer and water services, subject to meeting all zoning regulations.

A maximum of 2 ADUs can be located on a parcel of rural land which is outside the Urban Area Boundary on which residential use is permitted and is served by private sewer and water services, subject to meeting all zoning regulations.

Parking

One parking space is required per ADU, which may be provided in tandem. On-street parking is not permitted.

Servicing

• Urban - ADU must connect to existing municipal infrastructure
• Rural - ADU must connect to the existing septic system if it was constructed with the capacity to accommodate the additional flows, if not, a new septic system will need to be constructed

ADUs in accessory buildings

Setbacks:

• Rear yard setback – 1.2 metres plus any required road allowances 
• Interior side yard setback - 1.2 metres plus any required road allowances 
• Side yard (corner lots only) - 4.5 metres plus any required road allowances 

Lot coverage: The overall percentage of maximum lot coverage for each zone applies, the maximum lot coverage for an ADU in an accessory building is 93 square metres provided that it does not exceed the overall maximum lot coverage permitted by the zone.

Height: 

• Urban: Cannot exceed 6 metres in height (4.5 metres to top of walls and supporting posts)
• Rural: Cannot exceed 7 metres in height (5.5 metres to top of walls and supporting posts)

Rural ADUs

• Rural ADUs in accessory buildings cannot be located no more than 15 metres from the detached dwelling
• ADUs cannot be permitted within a building/structure used for any agricultural use
• Must meet Minimum Distance Separation requirements

Building permits and fees

• A building permit is required in the City of Niagara Falls for any ADU
• Building permit fees for ADUs are calculated based on a rate for the finished floor area. There are different fees for an interior ADU (within the main dwelling) and an exterior ADU (in an accessory building). To determine which fee rate would apply, please see the building permit fees.
• Contact the Building Department: Email pbd@niagarafalls.ca or call 905-356-7521 x 4330

Detached ADU emergency access policy

Review the Detached Additional Dwelling Units Policy for more details.

Servicing

Municipal servicing must be available (or private servicing for rural ADUs).

Codes and standards

For an ADU to qualify as an authorized unit, it must satisfy:

• Ontario Building Code health and safety requirements
• Fire and Electrical Codes
• Occupancy Standards
• Property Standards

Yes, one parking space is required per ADU which may be provided in tandem.

On-street parking does not satisfy parking requirements and is not permitted.

No. To encourage the supply of smaller housing units, the Province of Ontario has exempted Development Charges and parkland dedication requirements for ADUs (under Bill 23).

While the property may have the same municipal address, additional units will be identified with a unit address. A unit address will be assigned by the City following a Building Permit application being made. This address will be assigned a unit identifier to the property to ensure the safety of the people residing in any dwelling units and for emergency response. A municipal unit identification sign must be clearly visible from and affixed to the front of the property. A wayfinding sign may also be required for a detached ADU that is not visible from the front of the property. An ADU’s unit address must be assigned and displayed by the time of occupancy.

No, the City’s Official Plan does not allow ADUs to be separated from the main dwelling and therefore severance applications will not be supported.

Creating an ADU on your property may change your property taxes because the number of dwelling units affects the property’s value. Property taxes are based on how much your property is worth.

For more information about your property’s assessment, contact the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

ADUs in residential zones cannot be used as a Vacation Rental Unit (VRU).

VRUs are only allowed in certain zones, including: Tourist Commercial (TC), General Commercial (GC), or Central Business (CB) zones. If your ADU is located in one of these zones, it might be able to be used as a VRU, but it must follow all of the City’s VRU rules, zoning requirements, and provide two extra parking spaces per unit.

• Learn more about Vacation Rental Units
• Learn more about Bed and Breakfasts

Contact Niagara Region’s Waste Management Services to start garbage collection for each new ADU when ready. This can be done online at: Commencement of Garbage, Recycling, and Organics Collection - Niagara Region, Ontario.

During this process, you must provide proof from the City that the ADU is legally established. This proof is usually a Building Permit and/or Occupancy Permit for each new ADU. Each unit on the property will also need a unique address to clearly label the waste collection bins. This helps the waste collection team make sure the property is following waste collection limits.