Saanich SSMUH (small-scale multi-unit housing) has been part of Zoning Bylaw 8200 since June 30, 2024. On an eligible lot you can build 3, 4 or 6 homes in up to two buildings, and if the project results in 4 or fewer units you skip the Form and Character development permit and go to building permit. Five or six units need that development permit. Below is how eligibility, Schedule G, parking, permits and costs work, drawn from the District's SSMUH Application Guide (updated May 21, 2026).
Is my lot eligible for SSMUH in Saanich?
Saanich's guide sets out a flow chart. A lot is eligible only if all of these are true:
- The current zone lists SSMUH as a permitted use (most former single-family and duplex zones do).
- The lot is wholly or partly inside the Urban Containment Boundary.
- The lot is wholly or partly inside the Sewer Service Area.
- If it is in an OCP Primary Growth Area, it is under 4,050 m2.
- It is not in a Transit Oriented Area (those lots follow TOA Bylaw 10015 instead).
- The project includes at least one houseplex, new or existing.
That last point surprises people. A houseplex is two or more attached primary dwelling units. A single house with a basement suite is not a houseplex, so to use Schedule G you need at least two primary units. The SaanichMap SSMUH theme layer shows the Urban Containment Boundary, sewer area, transit areas and your lot area.
How many units does Saanich SSMUH allow?
| Schedule G lot type | Lot area | Max units | Off-street parking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Lot | 279 m2 or less | 3 | 1 per unit outside transit areas |
| Regular Lot | 280 to 1,215 m2 | 4 | 1 per unit outside transit areas; reduced in the Regular Transit Area |
| Large Lot | 1,216 m2 or larger | 4 | Same as Regular Lot |
| Transit Proximity Area Lot | 280 m2 or larger, within 400 m of an SSMUH bus stop | 6 | None required |
Units can be split between up to two buildings and can be houseplexes, single family homes or secondary suites. Secondary suites count toward the total, and Schedule G lets you add a suite to any primary unit: a duplex with a suite in each side is four units. Parking rules are in Table 7.1A of the Zoning Bylaw, and bike parking in Table 7.4. For how Saanich compares with Langford, Victoria and Colwood, see the Greater Victoria units-per-lot table.
Saanich SSMUH permits: what needs a development permit?
This is where Saanich differs from most neighbours. Per the guide:
- Building permit: required for every residential structure and every new unit, including secondary suites. You may need more than one.
- Form and Character DP: required only if 5 or 6 units result on the parcel. "All applications resulting in 4 or fewer dwellings on a parcel are exempt." Saanich's FAQ adds that 5 or more units also require an architect.
- Other development permits: a lot in the Streamside or Floodplain DPA may need a DP regardless of unit count.
- Heritage Alteration Permit: may be needed if the property is heritage designated.
- Tree Cutting Permit: needed if you work in the protected root zone of a bylaw-protected tree. Saanich refers this internally once you apply.
How long does a Saanich SSMUH permit take?
Saanich does not publish a target processing time for SSMUH building permits, and its February 2026 streamlining news release gave no day counts. What the guide does say is that Inspections staff will hold a building permit application until every other permit or approval it depends on is issued, so a missing tree, heritage or servicing item delays everything. Submitting a complete package with the SSMUH Project Data Table filled in is the main lever you control. Our permit timelines guide compares Saanich with Langford and Victoria.
Uptake has been fast. The District reported 99 building permits for houseplexes in 2025, up from 4 in 2024 (Saanich news release, March 27, 2026).
Servicing, frontage and fire flow
Saanich asks owners to contact Development Servicing in Engineering before designing. Under Building Bylaw 9529 and the Subdivision Bylaw, a building permit can trigger land dedication on narrow roads, frontage improvements and underground servicing upgrades. The guide states the applicant pays for all frontage and servicing improvements, and that these can range from the lot frontage to several city blocks of underground work. An engineer should review the fire flow requirements, since more units can need a larger water service.
What fees apply to a Saanich multiplex?
Saanich's DCC Bylaw 9553 (Table 6.0, rates from the April 29, 2024 amendment) charges a duplex, triplex or quadplex $11,836 per unit district-wide: transportation $4,243, drainage $781, sewer $1,551, water $1,040 and parks $4,221. A fourplex therefore carries about $47,344 in Saanich DCCs, before any area-specific Cordova Bay charges. From April 2, 2027, the CRD's regional water supply DCC adds $7,914 per unit for triplexes and fourplexes. See our DCC comparison for other municipalities.
Building permit fees follow the Saanich fee sheet (September 2025): an application fee by construction value ($1,000 for $100,001 to $500,000, $3,000 for $500,001 to $2,000,000) plus a permit fee of $13 per $1,000 of value up to $499,999 and $10 per $1,000 at $500,000 and above. Confirm with Saanich how the $10 rate is applied on your value.
Tenure, rentals and energy rules
- SSMUH units can be rented or stratified. There is no owner-occupancy requirement.
- Short-term rentals are not permitted in any residential unit in Saanich.
- An existing building included in a strata plan must be code compliant.
- Saanich has required Zero Carbon Step Code EL-4 for new Part 9 homes since November 1, 2023, which means all-electric space and water heating.
Saanich's guide recommends a professional team: engineer, architect or designer, BC land surveyor and certified arborist. A new houseplex also needs a Licensed Residential Builder, since owner-builder authorization excludes new multi-unit buildings. ACAP LTD provides general contracting for Saanich houseplexes from permit package to occupancy. Tell us about your Saanich lot and we will walk through what fits.