What is BC Bill 44 zoning?
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Direct answer
Bill 44 (2023), the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023, is the SSMUH ("Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing") legislation. It overrode municipal zoning across most of BC to allow up to 4 dwelling units on most single-family residential lots, and up to 6 dwelling units in some lots near frequent transit. Municipalities had until June 30, 2024 to update their zoning bylaws to comply; the province pre-empted local zoning in the meantime. SSMUH applies to lots in restricted-residential zones in municipalities with populations over 5,000. There are some narrow exemptions: areas without water and sewer servicing, lots over 4,050 m² (43,594 sq ft), and heritage areas. Eligible unit types include suites, secondary dwelling units, infill multiplexes, and townhouse-style configurations. SSMUH is conceptually paired with Bill 47 (the Transit-Oriented Development Areas Act) which targets densification near rapid-transit stations and bus exchanges. For BC homeowners: a single-family lot in Surrey, Burnaby, or Vancouver can now legally accommodate a primary house plus a coach house plus a basement suite plus an attached secondary suite, up to 4 doors total, subject to local servicing and design rules. For buyers/investors: the development potential of a single-family lot is materially higher post-2024 than it was pre-2024.
Primary sources
- Local government housing initiatives (Bill 44 — small-scale multi-unit housing) · BC Government · retrieved
- Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing — Provincial Policy Manual · BC Government · retrieved
Backed by Fact Bank entries
- Bill 44 (2023) — SSMUH (Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing) — NOT to be confused with Bill 44 (2022) Building and Strata Statutes Amendment Act.
Verified sources (7)· re-verified Oct 13, 2026Show sources
Every claim on this page is sourced to a primary government, regulator, or industry-association URL. We re-verify quarterly; the verification dates below show when each source was last confirmed against the live government page.
- Legislative Assembly of British Columbiaretrieved Oct 13, 2026· published Nov 30, 2023Hansard, 30 November 2023, p.m. (Issue 375): Royal Assent to Bills 44 and 47https://lims.leg.bc.ca/hdms/file/Debates/42nd4th/20231130pm-Hansard-n375.html
Primary source for the Royal Assent date of both bills. Corrected 2026-10-13: the site had said 2023-12-07, which is the date regulations were made / Order in Council 673/2023 brought the main provisions of Bill 44 into force. Not added to history[]: the old value was wrong, not superseded.
- BC Lawsretrieved Oct 13, 2026· published Dec 7, 2023Order in Council 673/2023: brings sections of the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 (Bill 44) into force effective 7 December 2023https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/oic/oic_cur/0673_2023
- BC Governmentretrieved Aug 10, 2026Small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH)https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-initiatives/smale-scale-multi-unit-housing
- BC Governmentretrieved Aug 10, 2026Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing — Provincial Policy Manual & Site Standardshttps://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/local-governments-and-housing/ssmuh_provincial_policy_manual.pdf
- BC Lawsretrieved Aug 10, 2026· published Nov 27, 2025Bill 25 — 2025: Housing and Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/bills/billsprevious/1st43rd:gov25-1
- BC Governmentretrieved Aug 10, 2026Bill 25 SSMUH Policy Bulletinhttps://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/local-governments-and-housing/bill_25_ssmuh_policy_bulletin.pdf
- Otherretrieved Aug 10, 2026Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing — Township of Langleyhttps://www.tol.ca/en/the-township/small-scale-multi-unit-housing.aspx
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