How many units you can build on your lot in Victoria, Saanich, Langford or anywhere else in the region now depends on three facts: your lot area, whether the lot sits within 400 metres of a prescribed frequent-transit stop, and whether your municipality has finished adopting its small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) bylaw. For most serviced residential lots the answer is 3, 4 or 6 units. The table below shows what each Greater Victoria municipality has actually adopted, with the bylaw to check.
What does BC's SSMUH law require?
The Province's Bill 44 rules (amended by Bill 25) require local governments to permit a minimum number of homes on lots that were zoned for single-family or duplex use. Per the provincial SSMUH toolkit:
- 3 units must be permitted on lots of 280 m2 or less.
- 4 units must be permitted on lots over 280 m2.
- 6 units must be permitted on lots of 281 m2 or more that are wholly or partly within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop.
A "prescribed" stop is not any bus stop. The Province defines frequent transit as a bus stopping at least every 15 minutes on average between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekends. Near those stops, a municipality cannot require off-street parking at all.
The rules do not apply everywhere. The toolkit exempts lots not connected to both municipal water and sewer, zones with a minimum subdivision lot size over 4,050 m2, hazard lands (on a qualified professional's report), Islands Trust land and manufactured home zones. Under the Bill 25 amendments, local governments had until June 30, 2026 to update their bylaws.
SSMUH units per lot in Greater Victoria, municipality by municipality
This is what each municipality's own bylaw or official page said when we checked in October 2026. Lot sizes are in square metres (1 m2 is about 10.76 sq ft, so 280 m2 is roughly 3,014 sq ft).
| Municipality | Small lot | Standard lot | Near frequent transit | Parking | Development permit | Bylaw / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Victoria | 3 units (280 m2 or less) | 4 units (over 280 m2) | 6 units (over 280 m2, within 400 m of a prescribed stop) | None required on 6-unit lots (one van-accessible space and six long-term bike stalls still apply) | Confirm with the city | Zoning Regulation Bylaw 80-159, s.52 (Bylaw 24-035) |
| Saanich | 3 units (279 m2 or less) | 4 units (280 m2 and up) | 6 units (280 m2 and up in the Transit Proximity Area) | None in the Transit Proximity Area; 1 per unit outside both transit areas; reduced in the Regular Transit Area | Only for 5 to 6 units (Form and Character DP) | Zoning Bylaw 8200, s.5.37 and Schedule G |
| Langford | 3 units (280 m2 or less) | 4 units (281 to 4,047 m2) | 6 units (281 to 4,047 m2, within 400 m of a Schedule AA stop) | None within 400 m of a prescribed stop; 1 per unit beyond | Still required, per the staff report | Bylaw 2183 amending Zoning Bylaw 300 |
| Colwood | Proposed 3 / 4 / 6 (the 6-unit tier on Route 95). Bylaw 2091 was referred back to staff on June 8, 2026 and had not been adopted as of the last Council record we could read. | None within 400 m of a prescribed stop (provincial rule); 1 per unit proposed for 3 to 4 units | Exemption for 3 to 4 units proposed, not confirmed | Land Use Bylaw 151, Bylaw 2091 | ||
| Esquimalt | 3 units (under 280 m2) | 4 units (280 to 4,050 m2) | Not applicable (no prescribed stops) | Not stated on the page | Yes, staff-approved (DPAs 1, 3, 7 and 8) | Bylaw 3142 (zones RSM-1, RSM-2) |
| Oak Bay | "Most properties are now eligible for up to four (4) units." A 6-unit transit tier is not stated. | Minimums reduced (ratio not stated) | Not required; building permit only | Infill Housing Program, adopted June 24, 2024 | ||
| View Royal | Tiered site standards: under 280 m2, 280 to 599, 600 to 1,214, 1,215 to 4,049 m2; Tier D allows 6 units within 400 m of a prescribed stop | 1 per unit, plus 0.1 visitor per unit for 5 or more | Form and character DP required | Bylaw 1135, adopted June 18, 2024 | ||
| Central Saanich | Residential Neighbourhood zone: 3 or 4 units by lot size. Residential Corridor zone: 4, 6 or 8 units by lot size. Usually two buildings at most. | Not stated | Most infill needs one | Bylaw 2196, adopted June 24, 2024 | ||
| Sooke | 3 units (up to 280 m2) | 4 units (over 280 m2) | Not applicable anywhere in Sooke | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Sooke housing page (Growth Area on community water and sewer) |
The City of Victoria also runs a separate Missing Middle program (Bylaw 22-045, adopted January 2023) that allows houseplexes and corner townhouses of up to six homes on most average lots in the R1-A, R1-B, R1-G and R-2 zones through a staff-delegated development permit, per the city's Missing Middle page. Victoria also excludes some lots from SSMUH: lots under 230 m2 or with an average width under 7.5 m, lots over 4,050 m2, lots in transit oriented areas and certain heritage lands.
How do I check how many units my lot allows?
- Find your exact lot area and zone. Your property tax notice, BC Assessment record or the municipal map (SaanichMap in Saanich) shows both. Use square metres, because every bylaw does.
- Confirm the zone allows SSMUH. The rules only replaced single-family and duplex zones. Rural, agricultural and large-lot zones are often exempt.
- Check servicing. No municipal sewer and water usually means no SSMUH. Colwood staff counted about 5,800 non-sewered lots excluded.
- Measure the distance to a prescribed stop. It has to be a stop on the municipality's prescribed map (Schedule AA in Langford, the Transit Proximity layer in Saanich), not just the nearest bus stop.
- Check title for covenants. Saanich's SSMUH guide warns that a private or municipal covenant on title can restrict the number of units.
- Read the site standards. Height, lot coverage, setbacks and the number of buildings decide whether the units actually fit.
- Call the planning department. Confirm your reading before you pay for design. Every bylaw in this table has been amended at least once since 2024.
Do I still need a development permit for a multiplex?
It depends on the municipality. Saanich exempts projects that result in 4 or fewer units from its Form and Character development permit, but 5 or 6 units need one and Saanich's FAQ says they also need an architect. Oak Bay says no development permit is needed for infill housing, only a building permit. Esquimalt requires a development permit, but staff approve it rather than Council. View Royal requires a form and character permit for SSMUH and garden suites. Langford's 2024 staff report says developers still need development permits and building permits for each project.
Two provincial limits help owners. A municipality cannot use development permit areas "to unreasonably restrict the use or density required by SSMUH legislation", and no public hearing is held for zoning that only brings a lot into compliance. Environmental permits are separate: in Saanich, a lot in a streamside or floodplain area may need a development permit no matter how many units you build. For timing, see our guide to building permit timelines across Greater Victoria.
Langford and Saanich: the two biggest SSMUH markets
Langford allows its four units as a house with a suite and a garden or carriage suite, a duplex where both sides have a suite, or up to four townhouses. The full rules, including setbacks and a worked lot, are in our Langford multiplex rules guide.
Saanich has seen the fastest uptake. In March 2026 the District reported 99 building permits for houseplexes in 2025, up from 4 in 2024. Our Saanich SSMUH explainer walks through Schedule G, the four-unit DP exemption and servicing requirements.
Region-wide, the Victoria Residential Builders Association reported that CMHC counted 599 duplex and row housing starts in Greater Victoria in 2025, up 26% from 476 in 2024 (VRBA, January 2026).
What does each extra unit cost beyond construction?
SSMUH changes zoning, not fees. Each new unit usually triggers development cost charges. Saanich's district-wide rate for a duplex, triplex or fourplex is $11,836 per unit, and the City of Victoria's medium-density DCC is $14,865.29 per unit before its amenity cost charge. A new CRD regional water supply charge takes effect on April 2, 2027 in every municipality in this table. Our development cost charges guide has the full per-unit table.
For the build itself, see what it costs to build a duplex in Langford, and if you are deciding between forms, compare a duplex, garden suite or house with a suite side by side.
Can I build a multiplex myself as an owner-builder?
Generally not. BC Housing does not issue Owner Builder Authorizations for units in new multi-unit residential buildings, so a new duplex, triplex or fourplex needs a Licensed Residential Builder and home warranty insurance on each unit. The exception is adding one unit to a building more than 10 years old. We explain the rules in owner-builder vs licensed builder in BC.
What usually limits a Greater Victoria multiplex in practice?
- Site standards: lot coverage, height and setbacks often cap usable floor area before the unit count does.
- Servicing: Saanich's guide notes the owner pays for all frontage and servicing improvements, which can extend beyond the lot frontage.
- Fire flow: more units can mean a larger water service and a fire flow review by an engineer.
- Trees: protected trees can shrink the buildable area and add a tree permit.
- Parking: where one space per unit applies, four stalls can consume much of a narrow lot.
- Energy rules: most core municipalities require Zero Carbon Step Code EL-4 for new Part 9 homes, which means all-electric space and water heating.
A general contractor who has worked with each planning department can tell you early whether your lot supports 3, 4 or 6 units in practice. ACAP LTD offers general contracting for multiplex and infill projects across Greater Victoria, and you can ask us to review your lot before you commit to design.