Prince Edward County

In-Law Suites & Garden Suites in The County

A self-contained home for a parent, grandparent or adult child — inside the farmhouse, as an addition, or in its own building on the lot.

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Three ways to add a suite

Each one is a separate dwelling unit with its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area. Where it goes changes the rules, the cost drivers and the timeline.

Inside the house

A main-floor or basement suite carved out of the existing home. Fire separation, a separate entrance and safe exits from bedrooms decide whether it works. Century farmhouses often need structural and insulation work first.

As an addition

New space attached to the house, often single-storey for a parent who should not be managing stairs. Foundations on shallow soil over limestone and the roof tie-in drive the work.

Its own building

A garden suite, coach house or converted outbuilding. The most privacy for both households, and the most questions about zoning, setbacks and servicing.

Town lot or rural lot: the rules are different

On municipal water and sewer. On residential lots in the serviced parts of Picton and Wellington, the Planning Act permits up to three units as of right: three in the house, or two in the house and one in a separate building. Municipalities cannot require more than one parking space per additional unit. The Building Code still applies in full.

On a well and septic. Most County properties, from Hillier vineyards to Ameliasburgh farmland, are not covered by that rule. Whether a second unit or garden suite is allowed is set by the County's zoning by-law and can depend on lot size, zoning, shoreline setbacks and what is already built. The Planning Act also lets a municipality permit a garden suite through a temporary use by-law for up to 20 years, usually with an agreement covering installation, occupancy and removal.

Ask first. The County has been updating its comprehensive zoning by-law, so check with the Municipality of Prince Edward County's planning staff what applies to your property before paying for drawings.

Septic and well come first on rural lots

A second kitchen and bathroom add wastewater and water demand. A septic system in Ontario is sized mainly on the bedrooms and floor area it serves, so a suite usually raises the design flow, and the existing system may not have been built for it. A well that suits one household may struggle with two in a dry August, and County soils that run shallow over limestone limit where a larger leaching bed can go.

Before design starts, find out the septic system's age, tank size and type of bed, and get a flow test and water-quality test on the well. Our guide to a garden suite on a well and septic lot walks through the questions.

The federal multigenerational tax credit

The Canada Revenue Agency's Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit is a refundable credit of 15% of eligible renovation costs, on up to $50,000 of expenses, so up to $7,500. It applies when the work creates a self-contained secondary unit so that a senior aged 65 or over, or an adult eligible for the disability tax credit, can live with a qualifying relative.

The unit needs its own private entrance, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area. The credit is claimed for the tax year the renovation is completed, and the qualifying person must live there, or be expected to, within 12 months. Appliances and services such as housekeeping do not count.

Check the current rules with the CRA or your accountant before you rely on the credit, and keep every invoice.

What drives the cost

Where the suite goes. Converting existing space is usually the least construction. A detached building needs its own foundation, roof and services.

Servicing. Running water, septic, hydro and heating to a separate building can be a large share of the budget on a rural lot.

Accessibility. A suite for an older parent often wants a step-free entrance, wider doors and a curbless shower. It is far cheaper to plan these in than to add them later.

Fire separation and exits. Required between units, and the item that most often forces existing space to be rebuilt rather than refreshed.

Common questions

Often, but it depends on the property. Lots on a well and septic are not covered by the provincial three-unit rule, so the County zoning by-law decides, and the Planning Act also allows garden suites through a temporary use by-law. Septic and well capacity are usually the deciding practical limits. Ask the Municipality of Prince Edward County planning staff about your lot first.
On a residential lot served by municipal water and sewer, the Planning Act allows up to three units as of right: three in the main building, or two in the main building and one in a separate building. Local rules still apply to things like process and servicing, so confirm with the County.
The Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit applies to renovations that create a self-contained secondary unit for a senior aged 65 or over, or an adult eligible for the disability tax credit, to live with a qualifying relative. It is 15% of up to $50,000 in eligible expenses. Whether a particular project qualifies is a question for the CRA or your accountant before the work starts.
Not necessarily. Septic systems are sized mainly on bedrooms and floor area, and a suite usually adds to both. A pump-out and inspection, plus the original permit or drawings if you have them, tell you where the system stands. It may be expandable, or the suite may need its own system.
Do not assume so. Short-term rentals in Prince Edward County are licensed separately, and a garden suite approved under a temporary use by-law often limits who may live in it. If rental is part of the plan, raise it with the County and the builder at the start.

Start with what the County allows on your lot and what the septic and well can carry. The design is the easy part once those two answers are known.

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