Venture Pacific

Guide, multiplex zoning

Multiplex zoning rules in Metro Vancouver.

Two layers of rules decide how many homes a Metro Vancouver lot can hold. The province sets a minimum: under section 481.3 of the Local Government Act, zoning must allow at least 3 units on a lot of 280 square metres or less, 4 on a larger lot, and 6 on a lot of 281 square metres or more within 400 metres of a bus stop with a bus every 15 minutes. Each city then writes its own zones, with its own names, building types, heights and floor areas. This guide explains both layers, works through Surrey's RA to R6 zones in detail, and shows what to do when a lot's zone does not fit the project.

Written by Trent Praski. Figures re-verified 2026-10-23.

Section 481.3

Local Government Act section that sets the small-scale housing minimums

4 units

Minimum on lots over 280 square metres in the areas B.C. Reg. 262/2023 covers

6 units

Minimum on lots of 281 square metres or more within 400 m of a 15-minute bus stop

30 June 2026

Deadline for cities to meet the Bill 25 changes

Key takeaways

  • Section 481.3 of the Local Government Act and B.C. Reg. 262/2023 set minimums of 3, 4 or 6 units per lot by lot size and bus stop distance.
  • Vancouver has the same numbers under section 565.03 of the Vancouver Charter and B.C. Reg. 264/2023.
  • Bill 25 widened the rules in November 2025, with a compliance deadline of 30 June 2026 for affected cities.
  • Surrey replaced its single-family zones with RA and R1 to R6 on 8 July 2024, and R3 is the only one of them that allows a houseplex.
  • Land inside a transit-oriented area is exempt from the 3 to 6 unit minimums and instead gets provincial density limits of 3.0 to 5.0 floor area ratio for rezoning.
  • A development variance permit and the board of variance cannot change use or density, so more homes than the zone allows means a rezoning.
  • A covenant or building scheme on title can limit a lot below its zoning, and the board of variance cannot override a section 219 covenant.

Two layers of rules on every lot

The first layer is provincial. The small-scale multi-unit housing law, known as SSMUH or Bill 44, sits in section 481.3 of the Local Government Act. That section says zoning must allow at least a set number of homes on lots once limited to a house or duplex, and B.C. Reg. 262/2023 sets the numbers: 3 units on a lot of 280 square metres or less, 4 on a larger lot, and 6 on a lot of 281 square metres or more within 400 metres of a bus stop with a bus every 15 minutes on average, on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vancouver has the same numbers under the Vancouver Charter.

The second layer is the city's zone. The province sets the count of homes. The city sets the rest: which building types are allowed, the floor area ratio (total floor area divided by lot area), lot coverage, setbacks, height and, outside six-unit bus stop lots and transit-oriented areas, parking. That is why two lots of the same size in neighbouring cities can allow different buildings.

The provincial layer changed again in 2025. Bill 25 received Royal Assent on 27 November 2025 and widened the zones the law catches. Section 481.3 now requires compliance by 30 June 2026, and the province's bulletin says affected cities must also update their official community plans by 30 June 2027. Some cities have extensions, such as New Westminster's Queensborough to 4 May 2029.

Surrey, where the zone names changed

Surrey adopted its small-scale housing zoning on 8 July 2024. The old RF and RF-SS zones became R3, the Urban Residential Zone. RF-13, RF-12 and RF12C became R4, the Small Lot Residential Zone. RQ became R2, RH became R1, and the one-acre RA zone became the new RA Acreage Residential Zone. In each of these zones, a lot from 280 square metres to under 4,050 square metres may hold up to 4 homes, or 6 on an eligible lot in a Frequent Bus Stop Area, where no off-street parking is required.

The difference between the zones is the building. R3 is the only one of Surrey's RA to R6 zones that allows a houseplex, the bylaw's word for a triplex or fourplex that looks like a large house, and only on a corner lot, a through lot or a lot with lane access. In R4 and the other zones, the homes come from a house or duplex with suites, garden suites and coach houses.

Surrey's rules are also under review. Corporate Report R162, dated 22 July 2026, counted 465 building permits for 943 net new homes under the new zones, 7 percent of them houseplexes, and Surrey's page says Council approved a comprehensive review on 27 July 2026. The Surrey chapter of this guide sets out the R3 and R4 rules in detail, from the consolidated bylaw that includes amendments to 21 September 2026.

Transit moves the numbers in both directions

Near a frequent bus stop, the provincial minimum rises to 6 units on a qualifying lot, and section 525.2 bars any parking requirement for those homes. Cities decide which stops meet the 15-minute test using transit operator data, and the result varies: Coquitlam's page says it has no qualifying stops at this time, while Delta's six-unit area runs along Scott Road.

Near SkyTrain stations and bus exchanges, the rule changes shape. Bill 47 created transit-oriented areas, reaching 800 metres from a passenger rail station and 400 metres from a bus exchange or West Coast Express station. Inside them, B.C. Reg. 263/2023 sets density and height levels that a city must not use zoning to restrict, from 3.0 floor area ratio and 8 storeys up to 5.0 and 20 storeys within 200 metres of a rail station. The province's FAQ says this does not pre-zone land. An owner still applies to rezone, and the city cannot refuse the project for density within those limits.

Land in a transit-oriented area is exempt from the 3 to 6 unit minimums. Surrey's zones cap such lots at 2 homes under their current zoning. So a lot close to a station can allow fewer homes today than a lot further out, while offering more through a rezoning.

When the zone does not fit, and the title check

The Local Government Act gives three routes past a zoning rule. Council can rezone, which is the only route that can change use or density, and section 464 bars a public hearing where the rezoning matches the official community plan and is mainly residential. Council or a delegated staff member can issue a development variance permit, which can relax rules such as setbacks and height. And a board of variance can allow a minor variance where a rule on siting, size or dimensions causes undue hardship, with a decision that section 542 (4) makes final.

Before any of that, read the title. A covenant registered under section 219 of the Land Title Act can restrict use, building and subdivision, and binds every later owner. Pitt Meadows' guide states that provincial housing law and city zoning do not override restrictive covenants, and Port Moody's page says registered building schemes take precedence over small-scale housing zoning. The board of variance cannot make an order that conflicts with a section 219 covenant.

Work through these in a fixed order: the provincial minimum for the lot, the city's zone, the transit rules, the title, and only then the design. The chapters below follow the same order.

Chapters in this guide

Provincial rules

What BC's small-scale housing law makes every city allow

Section 481.3, the 3, 4 and 6 unit minimums, the exemptions and the deadlines.

Read

Surrey zones

Surrey's residential zones: RA and R1 to R6 explained

Surrey's RA and R1 to R6 zones, R3 houseplex rules and bus stop lots.

Read

Reading your zone

How to find your lot's zone and read what it allows

Finding the zone, reading it in order, and checking the title.

Read

Transit areas

Six-unit bus stop lots and transit-oriented areas

The 400 metre bus stop rule, transit-oriented area tiers and parking.

Read

When zoning says no

When zoning says no: rezoning, variance permits and the board of variance

Rezoning, development variance permits and the board of variance compared.

Read

Zoning by city

Small-scale housing zone names across Metro Vancouver

Zone names and one-line notes for the cities we checked, with links to city guides.

Read

Frequently asked questions

What is multiplex zoning in Metro Vancouver?

It is the combination of BC's small-scale housing law and each city's own zones. The law, in section 481.3 of the Local Government Act, sets minimums of 3, 4 or 6 homes per lot depending on lot size and bus stop distance. The city's zone sets the building types, floor area, height, setbacks and, outside six-unit bus stop lots and transit-oriented areas, parking.

Who sets the number of units allowed on my lot, the province or the city?

Both. The province sets a minimum the city's zoning must allow, under section 481.3 and B.C. Reg. 262/2023. The city may allow more, and it writes the zone that sets the other rules. Check your lot's zone in the city's bylaw to see the actual maximum and the building types allowed.

Do I need to rezone to build a fourplex on a single-family lot?

Not if the city's zone lists a fourplex and the lot meets the zone's conditions. In Surrey, for example, R3 allows a houseplex of 3 or 4 homes on corner, through or lane-access lots without rezoning. In zones that allow only houses and duplexes, a fourplex building would need a rezoning, though 4 homes may still be possible with suites.

What does SSMUH mean in BC zoning?

SSMUH stands for small-scale multi-unit housing, the province's term for homes such as secondary suites, garden suites, laneway homes, triplexes, townhomes and house-plexes. In zoning it refers to the rules in section 481.3 of the Local Government Act that require cities to allow 3 to 6 units on lots once limited to a house or duplex.

Which Surrey zone allows a fourplex?

R3, the Urban Residential Zone, is the only one of Surrey's RA to R6 zones that lists a houseplex, which the bylaw defines as a building with 3 or 4 principal homes. It is allowed on a corner lot, a through lot or a lot with lane access. In the other zones, 4 homes come from a duplex with two suites.

Does a lot near a SkyTrain station allow more homes?

Not under the lot's current zone. Land in a transit-oriented area is exempt from the 3 to 6 unit minimums, and Surrey caps such lots at 2 homes. The provincial rules for those areas let an owner apply to rezone for much higher density, from 3.0 to 5.0 floor area ratio depending on distance.

Can a city's zoning allow more than the provincial minimum?

Yes. The provincial numbers are minimums. The province's policy manual says a city may permit additional units beyond the minimum, including in return for an amenity, and section 481.5 (4) allows conditional density rules for units above the minimum. The city's zone shows what it allows.

What should I check first before planning a multiplex on my lot?

Check four things in order: the provincial minimum for your lot's size and bus stop distance, your lot's zone and its rules, whether the lot is in a transit-oriented area, and the land title for covenants or building schemes. Any one of these can change the answer, and design comes after all four.

Are the provincial small-scale housing rules still changing?

Yes. Bill 25 widened the rules in November 2025, with a 30 June 2026 deadline for affected cities and official community plan updates due by 30 June 2027. Bill 25 also gave the province power to regulate building form, density and parking for small-scale housing in future, with no immediate effect.

Is a lot over one acre covered by the small-scale housing rules?

Not by the 3 to 6 unit minimums. Section 481.4 of the Local Government Act exempts any parcel larger than 4,050 square metres, which is close to one acre, and land in zones with a 4,050 square metre minimum lot size. Surrey's zones allow up to 2 homes on lots of 4,050 square metres or more.

Does the province's housing law override a covenant on my title?

No. Pitt Meadows' guide states that the provincial housing legislation and city zoning do not override restrictive covenants. Port Moody's page says registered building schemes take precedence over small-scale housing zoning. Order a State of Title Certificate and read every registered charge before planning.

Related reading from the Journal

Sources and references

Rate and regulation figures on this page were re-verified on 2026-10-23. Construction cost ranges come from Venture Pacific's own Metro Vancouver projects and are described as such wherever they appear.

  1. Local Government Act, Part 14, Planning and Land Use Management (sections 455, 457.1, 464, 479, 481.01, 481.3 to 481.5, 498 to 499, 525.1, 525.2, 536 to 542, 585.52)BC Laws, King's Printer. Consolidation current to 20 October 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  2. Local Government Zoning Bylaw Regulation, B.C. Reg. 262/2023BC Laws, King's Printer. Deposited 7 December 2023, consolidation current to 20 October 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  3. Local Government Transit-Oriented Areas Regulation, B.C. Reg. 263/2023BC Laws, King's Printer. Last amended 2 May 2025 by B.C. Reg. 60/2025. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  4. Vancouver Charter, Part XXVII, Planning and Development (sections 565.03 and 573)BC Laws, King's Printer. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  5. Vancouver Zoning Bylaw Regulation, B.C. Reg. 264/2023BC Laws, King's Printer. Consolidation current to 20 October 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  6. Small-scale, multi-unit housingProvince of British Columbia. Page last updated 20 January 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  7. Policy Bulletin: Bill 25, Housing and Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Province of British Columbia. Bulletin dated 28 November 2025. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  8. Provincial Policy Manual and Site Standards: Small-Scale, Multi-Unit HousingMinistry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Province of British Columbia. Version dated 20 January 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  9. Frequently Asked Questions for Bill 47 (transit-oriented areas)Province of British Columbia. Version dated 28 February 2024. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  10. Zoning for Small-Scale Multi-Unit HousingCity of Surrey. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  11. Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (consolidated), Parts 12 to 18 and Part 5City of Surrey. Consolidation includes By-law 22120, adopted 21 September 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  12. Corporate Report R162: Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing Review FrameworkCity of Surrey. Report dated 22 July 2026, Council date 27 July 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  13. Land Title Act, Part 14, section 219 (covenants) and section 220 (building schemes)BC Laws, King's Printer. Act current to 20 October 2026. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  14. Guide to Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing, R-3, R-4 and R-6 ZonesCity of Pitt Meadows. 2024 edition. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  15. Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH)City of Port Moody. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  16. Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing in CoquitlamCity of Coquitlam. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  17. Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (Bill 44)City of Delta. Accessed 23 October 2026.
  18. Small Scale Multi Unit HousingCity of New Westminster. Accessed 23 October 2026.

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