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Mississauga, How Does Your Garden Grow?
It’s summertime, so the timing is perfect for the City of Mississauga to offer a free garden tool for prospective builders. The city is making the addition of backyard garden suites easier with free pre-approved plans for Mississauga homeowners, which could, in turn, speed up the process for contractors and home builders working with clients on such projects.
Part of Mississauga’s Housing Action Plan, “Our garden suite plans are a great example of how we’re streamlining processes to get homes built more quickly and help with affordability,” said Mississauga’s Commissioner of Planning and Building Andrew Whittemore.
There are two standardized garden suite models to choose from: an open-concept 430 sq. ft. studio and a 600 sq. ft. one-bedroom suite. Both include a kitchen space and three-piece washroom.
The pre-approved plans, which can be downloaded from the city’s website, help residents save time and money, as they won’t need to hire a designer to draw custom plans. Interiors and exteriors can be customized, including paint, plumbing fixtures, siding, windows, doors and flooring, as these items don’t require changes to the pre-approved plans. However, the actual suite layout, such as walls, doors, windows and room locations, cannot be modified.
Homeowners may still need support to prepare the building permit application, and the city’s website recommends that they work with licensed builders.
In late 2023, Mississauga updated its Official Plan and zoning rules to make it easier for homeowners to build up to two additional residential units (ARUs) in addition to the primary home; or a new fourplex on a lot (or to convert their current home to four separate units).
