British Columbia now requires most cities and districts to allow three, four or six homes on lots that used to be zoned for a single house. For an owner, that can change what a lot is worth and what you could build on it. For a buyer, it changes what to check before you write an offer. Here’s what the provincial rules say, where West Vancouver stands as of this writing, and why “allowed” isn’t the same as “feasible”.
What the Province changed
The Province calls it small-scale, multi-unit housing. Under Bill 44, passed in 2023, local governments had to update their zoning by June 30, 2024 to allow more homes on lots zoned for single-family or duplex use. In November 2025, Bill 25 widened the rules: zones that allow a house with a secondary suite and a detached suite, such as a coach house, now count as well. Local governments had until June 30, 2026 to comply, unless they received an extension.
How many homes a lot must allow
Where the rules apply, the minimum number of homes a municipality must permit depends on the lot’s size and how close it is to frequent transit:
- Lots of 280 square metres (about 3,000 sq ft) or smaller: at least 3 units.
- Lots larger than 280 square metres: at least 4 units.
- Lots over 280 square metres within 400 metres of a prescribed frequent-transit bus stop: at least 6 units, with no parking required for them.
A frequent-transit stop is one where, on average, a bus comes at least every 15 minutes from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays and from 10 am to 6 pm on weekends.
Some lots are exempt: those protected by heritage designation, lots larger than 4,050 square metres (about one acre), and lots not served by municipal or regional water or sewer.
Where West Vancouver stands
West Vancouver’s path has been contested:
- In May 2024, Council declined to give first reading to a bylaw implementing Bill 44. After the Minister of Housing issued a notice of non-compliance, Council adopted Amendment Bylaw 5351 on August 12, 2024.
- For Bill 25, staff presented a working approach in March 2026. After a June 18, 2026 letter from the Minister stating that compliance is a legislated requirement and that the Province can override local zoning, Council directed staff to prepare the amendments.
- Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 5446, 2026 received first, second and third readings on September 21, 2026. It has been referred to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, whose approval is needed before Council can consider adopting it. It was not yet adopted at the time of writing.
The District says the requirements would apply to almost all residential lots in West Vancouver, and that about 640 parcels are exempt. It has also asked the Province to exempt the RS6 zone (Abode and Eagle Island), citing island access, emergency response and servicing. Check the District’s current page for where the bylaw stands now.
The City and the District of North Vancouver have each written their own bylaws. If you’re looking there, check that municipality’s zoning for the lot, not West Vancouver’s. (See District or City of North Vancouver: the difference.)
Allowed isn’t the same as feasible
Zoning sets the minimum a municipality must allow. Whether you can actually build four or six homes on a particular lot is another question. I came to real estate from construction and architecture, and these are the things I look at:
- Slope and soil. Much of West Vancouver is steep. A hillside lot may need geotechnical work, retaining walls and a careful design, all of which add cost.
- Lot shape and access. Width, depth, lane access and setbacks decide how buildings can sit on the lot and how people reach them.
- Servicing. Water, sewer, storm drainage and electrical capacity, and what the municipality will require you to upgrade.
- Trees, streams and hazards. Protected trees, watercourses and hazard areas can limit what’s buildable.
- The building code and permits. More units mean fire separations, sprinklers in some cases, and a longer permit process.
- Selling the units. Allowing units isn’t the same as allowing them to be sold separately. Creating a strata has its own approvals and costs.
For buyers and owners
Before you pay for development potential, confirm it: the lot’s zoning and any exemption, the distance to a prescribed bus stop, and the municipality’s servicing requirements. Ask the planning department, and have a designer or builder do a quick feasibility check. What to ask the city before you buy lists the questions. If you own a larger lot today, the same check tells you whether the new rules change your options, before you decide to sell, renovate or rebuild.
Questions people ask
Does this apply to my townhouse or condo?
No. It applies to lots zoned for single-family or duplex homes, including those that allow suites and coach houses.
Can a municipality refuse?
Municipalities must comply. The Province has said it can override zoning that doesn’t, and West Vancouver is now completing its amendments.
Will this raise my lot’s value?
Not automatically. A lot’s value depends on what can realistically be built, at what cost, and what buyers will pay. Some lots gain real potential; many won’t change much.
General information, current as of publication. Zoning changes often, and each lot is different. Confirm the rules for a specific property with the municipality before you rely on them. This isn’t investment advice.