Construction Insights
Secondary Suites in Vancouver and Burnaby: What Makes a Suite Legal
A secondary suite is one of the most common things Vancouver and Burnaby homeowners ask for when they plan a new house. It can house a parent or grown child, or bring in rental income that helps carry the mortgage. But a suite only counts as a home in the eyes of the City, your insurer and your lender if it is legal: approved through a permit, built to the BC Building Code and signed off at final inspection. This guide explains what a legal suite is, where it is allowed, the main code requirements, and why it is far easier to design one into a new home than to add it later.What counts as a secondary suite?
The City of Vancouver defines a secondary suite as an approved dwelling unit inside a larger one-family or two-family dwelling. It has its own kitchen and living area and its own exterior door, and it may also share an inside door with the main home. A few rules apply in both cities:- One suite per home. A house can have one secondary suite. In a duplex, each side can usually have one.
- No strata title. A suite cannot be sold separately. It stays on the same title as the main home.
- Legal only after final inspection. Vancouver states plainly that a suite is not legal until the final inspection has been passed.
Where suites are allowed: Vancouver vs. Burnaby
| Question | Vancouver | Burnaby |
|---|---|---|
| Which homes can have a suite? | Single-family homes, and duplexes in zones that allow them. Check your zone in the Zoning and Development By-law. | Single-family homes, duplexes, multiplexes and rowhouses in the R1, A1, A2, A3 and RM6 zones. |
| Limits on layout | One suite per primary dwelling; a third suite is not allowed. | Side-by-side or front-to-back duplexes only. No suites in stacked (up/down) duplexes. Rowhouses need a vertical fire separation. |
| Minimum suite size | Not stated on the City’s suite page; confirm with the City. | At least 32.52 m² (350 sq ft). |
| Extra parking | Not stated on the suite page; the site plan must show existing parking. | No additional parking required. |
| Renting it out | Business licence needed for long-term rental. Short-term rental only if you live in the suite yourself. | Business licence needed if you rent and don’t live on the property. A suite utility declaration is required. |
Building a multiplex instead? Under BC’s newer small-scale housing rules, many lots can hold several units. Suites count toward the unit limit, so the right mix (house plus suite, house plus laneway home, duplex with suites) depends on your lot. Our guide How many homes can I build on my Burnaby lot? covers this in more detail.
The main Building Code requirements
Every legal suite has to meet Part 9 of the BC Building Code. Burnaby’s Secondary Suite Informational Guide (revised November 2024) is a clear summary. Here are the items that most affect design and cost.Fire separation and smoke alarms
The walls and ceiling between the suite and the main home (including shared spaces such as a laundry room) must be fire-rated. How much protection you need depends on the smoke alarms:| Smoke alarm setup | Fire-resistance rating needed |
|---|---|
| Smoke alarms in the two units not interconnected | 45 minutes |
| An extra interconnected photoelectric alarm in each unit | 30 minutes |
| All smoke alarms in the house photoelectric and interconnected | 15 minutes |
Sound between the units
Burnaby’s guide lists three ways to meet the sound requirement for the walls and ceiling between units: sound insulation with resilient channel and 1/2″ drywall, an assembly rated STC 43 or better, or an ASTC 40 or better.Heating, ventilation and electrical
- A separate heating and ventilation system for the suite is preferred. If ducts are shared, smoke detectors in the ducts must shut the system down, and fire dampers are needed where ducts cross the separation.
- Central vacuum systems can’t serve both units.
- In a new house, the suite needs its own electrical panel, or access to one in a shared space.
- The 2024 BC Building Code also requires new homes to have at least one living space with cooling, which is one reason heat pumps are now so common in new builds.
Entrance and bedrooms
The suite needs its own entrance. Bedrooms need a window or door that opens from the inside and is large enough to get out through in an emergency, so basement suites often need larger window wells than a basement would otherwise have.A change under review: In December 2025 the Province released a draft amendment that would add a “smoke-tight barrier” option for suites, taken from the National Building Code, alongside the existing fire separation options. Under that option a suite would be limited to 80 m² (861 sq ft) or 80% of the other unit’s floor area, whichever is less. It was a public review draft with no effective date, so check with your City whether it applies before relying on it.
Why it’s easier to plan a suite into a new home
Turning an existing basement into a legal suite often means lowering floors, enlarging windows, rerouting ducts and opening ceilings to add fire and sound protection. When the suite is planned from the start, most of that simply becomes part of the design. Things worth deciding before drawings go to the City:- Ceiling height and window size in the basement, which are fixed once the foundation is poured
- Separate entrance location and a safe, lit path to it
- Separate laundry or a properly separated shared laundry room
- Separate heating and ventilation, which avoids duct smoke detectors and fire dampers
- Its own electrical panel and meter arrangements
- Sound-rated floor and wall assemblies, which cost far less to install during framing than to retrofit
After the final inspection
- Burnaby: file a Supplementary Utility Fees Declaration within 30 days of a change in ownership or rental status. Rented suites pay an extra water and sewer fee, and renting an undeclared suite can bring a $1,000 fine.
- Vancouver: get a business licence before renting long-term. Family members can live in the suite without one.
- Insurance and assessment: tell your insurer about the suite. Vancouver warns that unpermitted work can void a policy, and a suite may affect your BC Assessment value.
Financing a suite
If you already own your home and are adding a suite, CMHC’s refinance program lets owner-occupiers borrow up to 90% of the as-improved value for homes valued under $2 million and up to 4 units, as long as the money funds construction and the suite is rented for at least 90 days at a time. Approval should be in place before construction starts. BC’s Secondary Suite Incentive Program, which offered a forgivable loan, stopped accepting applications on March 30, 2025. The federal government has announced its own secondary suite loan program; check with CMHC and your lender for what is currently open.Related reading
- How long it takes to build a custom home in Vancouver or Burnaby
- Duplex vs. multiplex: which makes sense for your lot?
- Building permits & approvals support
Please note: This page is general information, not legal, financial or professional advice. The facts, figures, bylaws, fees and code requirements described here were accurate to the best of our knowledge when it was published or last updated. These rules change often and differ from city to city, so some details may have changed since. Before you make decisions, please confirm the current requirements with your city’s planning and building department and with qualified professionals. We’re always happy to help you check what applies to your property.
Planning a new home and wondering whether a legal suite fits on your lot?
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Sources
- City of Vancouver: creating a secondary suite
- City of Vancouver: secondary suite FAQ (PDF)
- City of Burnaby: Secondary Suite Program
- City of Burnaby: Secondary Suite Informational Guide (PDF)
- Province of BC: proposed BC Building Code change for secondary suites (PDF)
- City of Kelowna: secondary suite in a new build bulletin (BC Building Code summary, PDF)
- CMHC: refinance for building secondary suites
- BC Government: Secondary Suite Incentive Program closing (March 2025)
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