Additional residential units

Additional residential units (ARUs) provide more flexible housing options for rural residents while minimizing impacts to the agricultural land base.

Examples of ARUs

ARUs come in many forms, including:

  • a basement or accessory apartment within a dwelling
  • an addition to a dwelling containing a self-contained unit
  • a unit within or attached to a garage or other accessory structure
  • a detached coach house or garden suite

Permitted number of ARUs

The Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), 2024 requires planning authorities to permit up to 2 ARUs in prime agricultural areas, subject to specific criteria that ensure they are compatible with farming and do not fragment agricultural lands.

Where a residential dwelling is permitted on a lot in a prime agricultural area, there can be up to 2 ARUs, subject to meeting the identified criteria.

Where 2 ARUs are proposed, at least 1 of these ARUs needs to be located within or attached to the principal dwelling. This is to provide modest residential flexibility while maintaining and strengthening the long-term viability of the agricultural system.

Requirements

To be permitted, an ARU must:

  • comply with Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) formulae
  • be compatible with, and not hinder, surrounding agricultural operations
  • have appropriate sewage and water services
  • address any public health and safety concerns
  • be of limited scale and located within, attached, or in close proximity to the principal dwelling or farm building cluster
  • minimize land removed from agricultural production

The PPS, 2024 clarifies that permitted ARUs are in addition to farm worker housing, which is permitted in prime agricultural areas as an agricultural use.

ARU policies permit a range of housing options within, attached, or in close proximity to the principal dwelling or farm building cluster. Property owners should consult their local municipality to confirm applicable zoning, building code requirements, and any other local approvals.

Lot creation and ARUs

PPS 2024 policies regarding lot creation in prime agricultural areas remain largely unchanged from PPS 2020 and continues to discourage lot creation.

ARUs cannot be severed to create separate residential lots and must remain with the principal dwelling.

Consistent with long-standing policy, residential lot creation in prime agricultural areas remains limited to surplus farm dwellings resulting from farm consolidations. The PPS 2024 maintains specific criteria for eligibility under the surplus farm dwelling severance policies.

Minimum Distance Separation (MDS) requirements

The MDS applies to ARUs in the same way it applies to other residential development in agricultural areas.

Detached ARUs must meet MDS I setbacks from livestock facilities on neighbouring lots whereas, ARUs that are within or attached to the existing dwelling do not require MDS I setbacks, as they are treated as renovations or expansions to the existing main residence.

MDS is required at the time of a zoning by-law amendment, lot creation application, or building permit, depending on the type of ARU proposed, and local municipal approaches to implementing MDS. These requirements help reduce the potential for odour conflicts and protect both agricultural operations and the enjoyment of new residential units.

Learn more about the minimum distance separation formulae and guidelines.

ARUs in the Greenbelt Plan area

The Greenbelt Plan, 2017 and the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, 2017 provide specific direction for second dwelling units that prevails over the ARU policies in the PPS 2024. As a result, permissions for ARUs are more limited than in the rest of the province.