The short answer: Burnaby allows a secondary suite in a single-family home, duplex, multiplex or rowhouse in the R1, A1, A2, A3 and RM6 zones, with one suite per dwelling. To be legal, the suite needs a building permit and the related trade permits, it has to meet the BC Building Code (fire separation, smoke alarms, exits, ceiling height, ventilation), and it has to pass the City’s inspections. An existing suite built without permits can be legalized by getting a permit and bringing it up to code.
Where suites are allowed
The City of Burnaby permits secondary suites in single-family homes, duplexes, multiplexes and rowhouses in the R1, A1, A2, A3 and RM6 zones. There is one important exception: the BC Building Code does not allow a secondary suite in a duplex where one unit sits on top of the other. In a duplex, a suite is only possible where a vertical fire separation divides it from the rest of the building.
Under the R1 district, one secondary suite is allowed per principal dwelling, so a house and a laneway home can each have one.
What the building code checks
Your designer will confirm the exact figures for your house, but a suite plan always covers:
- Fire separation between the suite and the main house, in walls, ceiling and around the stairs, plus protection at shared ducts.
- Smoke alarms interconnected so an alarm in one unit sounds in the other, and carbon monoxide alarms where there are fuel-burning appliances.
- Exits: a way out that doesn’t pass through the other unit, and bedroom windows big enough to escape through.
- Ceiling height: the code sets a minimum over the living areas, with a lower allowance under beams and ducts. Low basements are where most suite plans fail, so measure early.
- Sound separation between floors.
- Heating and ventilation: the suite usually needs its own heat control and ventilation, and shared furnace ducting needs special treatment.
- Kitchen and bathroom: plumbing, electrical and gas all under permit.
Legalizing an existing suite
Many Burnaby houses already have a suite built years ago without permits. The City’s position is that you need a building permit so the suite meets building code standards. The usual route:
- Have the suite assessed against the code: fire separation, alarms, exits, ceiling height and electrical are the common gaps.
- Prepare drawings showing the existing layout and the upgrades.
- Apply for the building permit and the trade permits.
- Open walls or ceilings where the inspector needs to see the work, complete the upgrades, and pass the inspections.
Some upgrades mean opening finished drywall, so the cost depends on how much was done properly the first time.
Registration and fines
The City notes that a non-registered rental suite can bring a $1,000 fine under Burnaby bylaws, and a supplementary utility charge applies when a suite is rented out. Legalizing protects your insurance too: an unpermitted suite can complicate a claim after a fire or flood.
Steps to building a new suite
- Check the basics: zone, ceiling height, and where a separate entrance and bedroom windows can go.
- Design: drawings that show fire separation, exits, alarms, heating and ventilation.
- Permits: building permit, then plumbing, electrical and gas permits.
- Build: framing, rough-ins, insulation and fire-rated drywall, each inspected before it is covered.
- Final inspection and occupancy.
For the design side of the space itself, see basement renovation ideas and flooring. For permit basics, our Burnaby permit guide covers what the City asks for. If you are weighing a suite against a separate building, read laneway homes in Burnaby.
Planning a suite?
Naimi Contracting builds and upgrades basement suites in Burnaby and across Metro Vancouver. See our basement renovation service or our page on laneway houses and secondary suites, or ask for a free, written estimate.
Sources: City of Burnaby, Secondary Suite Program and R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District summary. Requirements change; confirm with the City before starting work.