How Many Homes Can I Build on My Burnaby Lot? (2026 Guide)

Updated October 2026 · By Xerox Builders, a licensed residential builder headquartered on Warren Street, Burnaby

If you own a house in Burnaby, your lot can probably hold more homes than you think. Since July 2024, BC’s small-scale multi-unit housing law has let most Burnaby lots that used to allow one house hold three, four or even six homes. Then in late 2025 Burnaby tightened the size and height rules, and in July 2026 a brand-new zoning bylaw took effect. Many websites are still describing the 2024 rules.

This guide explains, in plain language, what the rules are today and what decides the answer for your lot.

The unit limits in Burnaby’s R1 zone

What is a Frequent Transit Network Area? Burnaby defines it as a lot that is wholly or partly within 400 m of a bus stop with service at least every 15 minutes, 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 6 pm on weekends. Lots near busy bus corridors often qualify, but it depends on current bus schedules, so check your exact address.

What you can build

Under the R1 rules you can mix and match building types, as long as you stay within the unit limit:

• A single-family home with a secondary suite
• A house plus a laneway or backyard home (a lane is no longer required)
• A duplex, with or without suites
• A triplex, fourplex or multiplex
• Rowhouses or a cottage court

Secondary suites count toward your unit total (one suite per primary home). Primary homes can be strata-titled and sold separately. Secondary suites cannot, and must stay on the same title as their main home.

What changed in late 2025

In October 2025 Burnaby City Council directed changes to the R1 rules. They were adopted in December 2025. The main changes:

• Height: the front building is now limited to 3 storeys (10 m with a sloped roof, 9.5 m with a flat roof). Before, 4 storeys were allowed.
• Rear buildings (laneway and backyard homes) are limited to 2 storeys (7.5 m sloped, 7.0 m flat).
• Floor area: the City estimated that the floor area you can achieve dropped by 33% to 60%, depending on the type of housing, the number of units and the lot size. Lot coverage was also reduced.
• Parking: generally 1 stall for the first unit plus 0.5 for each additional unit. However, lots in a Frequent Transit Network Area or Transit-Oriented Area need no off-street parking, because provincial law overrides the City here.

Then, on July 1, 2026, Burnaby’s new Zoning Bylaw replaced the 1965 bylaw. Applications that were complete before that date have a 12-month transition period under the old bylaw.

What decides the answer for your lot

1. Lot size and shape: the 280 m² line is the first test. Width and depth then decide how the buildings fit within setbacks. For example, the rear building must be set back 1.5 m from the lane and 6 m from the front building.
2. Transit: distance to a 15-minute bus stop can raise your limit to 6 homes and remove parking requirements.
3. Trees: protected trees need a City permit to remove, and you must plant 1 to 3 replacement trees for each one, depending on its size. Big trees in the wrong place can shrink what you can build.
4. Servicing: projects with 4 or more primary homes usually trigger frontage improvements, such as sidewalk, curb, street lights and street trees, often paid as cash-in-lieu. BC Hydro may also need space for a transformer.
5. Development charges: see below. They often decide whether 3 units or 4 units make more financial sense.

Burnaby development charges: the cost many owners miss

Burnaby charges Development Cost Charges (DCCs) and Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs) for each new home. These are the City’s published rates (in effect since July 2024):

Regional water and sewer charges, TransLink charges and school site charges are added on top. You get credit for homes that are demolished. A federal–provincial fund announced in 2026 may reduce development charges in some communities, but at the time of writing it was not confirmed whether Burnaby projects qualify. Always confirm the exact charges for your project with the City before you buy or design.

Energy and building code

New homes in Burnaby must meet the BC Building Code and Burnaby’s carbon requirements. From 2025, Burnaby requires the zero-carbon level for houses and small buildings, which in practice means electric heat pumps and electric hot water. Plan for this from the first sketch.

How long does it take?

Burnaby aims to complete pre-application reviews in about 15 business days, and permits are applied for through the City’s online portal. Actual permit times depend on the project and how complete your application is. Construction of a duplex or fourplex typically takes about a year after the permit is issued. We give every client a realistic schedule for their specific lot.

Our advice before you spend money

• Get a feasibility review of your address first: unit count, transit status, trees, services and development charges.
• Compare 3 vs. 4 units, and rental vs. strata, with real numbers before you choose a design.
• Choose a builder who knows Burnaby’s process. Our head office is in Burnaby, and we have a current project on Warren Street.

Related reading

• Duplex vs. multiplex: which makes sense for your lot?
• BC’s new zoning rules explained: what you can build on your lot

More: Duplex & multiplex builder in Burnaby · Laneway home builder in Burnaby · Laneway house cost in Burnaby (2026)

Sources: City of Burnaby, Summary of R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District; City of Burnaby news, Council cuts height and size of new province-mandated developments (Oct 16, 2025); Burnaby Zoning Bylaw; Burnaby DCCs and ACCs; Burnaby Zoning Bylaw Rewrite; Building new homes in Burnaby. This article is general information, not legal or planning advice. Rules change, so always confirm with the City of Burnaby for your property.