A new second suites bylaw came into effect on July 6, 2000. It allows the home owner in Toronto to set up a second suite for rental purpose in a detached or semi-detached house.
A second suite is a single self-contained, rental apartment that has its own entrance and contains its own kitchen and bathroom. In some areas of Toronto, second suites have existed for many years, providing tenants with affordable rental accommodation in neighborhood settings while generating rental income for homeowners.
Many second suites are basement apartments, but they can be installed on any floor of the house including the attic. They have also been called accessory apartments or in-law suites.
Physical requirements
- A second suite must be a self-contained unit (include a separate entrance, kitchen, and bathroom)
- The house with the second suite must be at least five years old
- The floor area of the second suite must be less than the rest of the house
- The house must have at least two parking spaces (they can be one behind another)
- The installation of a second suite may not significantly alter how the house looks from the street
Government regulation, building code, fire safety regulation
- Minimum space per person: 100 sq. ft per person excluding the area for bathrooms and closets
- Minimum ceiling height: in general the minimum ceiling height is 6 feet 5 inches
- Fire separations between the second suite and the rest of the house: The typical requirement is a 30 minutes rating separation between units
- 5/8 inch Drywalls ceiling and must be continuous
- Doors should be solid wood or metal – at least 1 ¾ inches thick
- Exits from the second suite: if the second suite does not have a direct exit to the outside, then there must be a minimum window size requirement(4.1 sq. ft or 0.38 m2, excluding window frame)
- Smoke alarm on each floor and carbon monoxide detector are installed outside of the sleeping area
- Electrical safety: An electrical inspection by the Electrical Safety Authority
