First approved backyard tiny home going up in Kitchener
The City of Kitchener has approved its first backyard tiny home as housing prices in the region continue to climb.
Thanks to a bylaw approved by council in the spring, homeowners like Simon Wong are able to construct and have new, smaller residences on their property.
“What we really mean by tiny homes in Kitchener is basically a second, smaller house at the backyard of a main property,” said Richard Kelly-Ruetz, the city’s planning division project manager. “There are certain zoning requirements in terms of what your lot has to look like, it needs to be 13.1 metres wide and within 400 square metres of lot area.”
The tiny home must also be no bigger than half the size of the main house. Basements are allowed, as its space that doesn’t count towards the square footage cap.
There are 25,000 homes in Kitchener, both free-standing and duplex, that qualify.
So far, only two permits have been approved, but seven more are in the works.
“Typically the highest it could be is about 800 square feet, so that would be on the higher size that we would see built in Kitchener,” said Kelly-Ruetz.
Wong’s new build is under that maximum at 500 square feet, with one bed, one bath, a full kitchen and a room for a washer and dryer.
“It’s a cathedral ceiling design,” he said. “We’re trying to maximize the square footage.
“We’ve taken a single family and we’ve made it into three units, so we’ve tripled the housing supply in this one piece of property.”
For years, Waterloo Region and most of southern Ontario has not had enough housing supply to meet demand, and with the pandemic only adding fuel to the fire, housing prices have skyrocketed in the area.
“It’s also an opportunity for renters to have a different kind of housing to choose from when they’re looking for a place to live,” said Kelly-Ruetz.
For now, Wong plans to rent the space, but eventually hopes it will be a way to keep aging parents close to home.
“I think it would be great for a young professional [to rent],” he said. “But we can have our big family all within one property.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.