What records explain additional residential units at an Oakville home?

Oakville has two zoning by-laws in effect: 2009-189 for the lands between Dundas Street and Highway 407, and 2014-014 for the rest of the town. Both permit attached additional residential units in a detached, semi-detached, linked or townhouse dwelling, and detached units in an accessory building on the same lot, in one of two combinations: at most two attached units, or one attached unit and one detached unit. Any entrance to a unit may not face a yard narrower than 1.0 metre, and since By-law 2026-088 a detached unit must sit at least 1.2 metres from an interior side or rear lot line.

In January 2024 the Town announced that Council had directed amendments to permit four units per property; the by-laws as consolidated in June 2026 still list the two combinations above. A general permission does not make an existing basement apartment lawful; the building permit and inspections are the records that do.

• Zoning By-laws: the Town's page on its two zoning by-laws and where each applies
• Zoning By-law 2014-014, Part 4: section 4.1 on additional residential units, consolidated to June 15, 2026 (PDF)
• Zoning By-law 2009-189, section 4: section 4.29 on additional residential units, consolidated to June 11, 2026 (PDF)
• Oakville moves ahead to expand housing options: the Town's January 2024 release on four units per property

Extra units allowed is in the free check as a summary of the Town's rule, from our hand-kept table of city rules, and the full report reads the lot's zone where the Town's zoning map is open data we can use; where it isn't, the report's line says where the Town publishes it. Neither is confirmation that a particular unit holds a permit or may be occupied.

Free check: pick “Extra units allowed” See the sample report