X
Why Now  ·  The BILL 23 STORY
Bill 23 changed the rules.
In November 2022, Ontario passed the law that lets you build a second home on your own lot — without rezoning, without a planning amendment, without permission from your neighbourhood. Here's what changed, and what it means for your property.
BEFORE → AFTER
One law. Two columns of rules.
Before Bill 23, building a backyard home in most Ontario neighbourhoods meant a zoning amendment, a planning hearing, parking minimums, development charges, and a year-or-more wait. Bill 23 ended most of that — in a single act of provincial legislation.What had been an exception became "as-of-right": a homeowner's permitted use, no special approval needed.
BEFORE

The old rules.

· Zoning amendment usually required

· Planning approval, often contested

· Parking minimums on the second unit

· Development charges on additional units

· Inconsistent rules across municipalities

AFTER · BILL 23

The new standard.

· Up to 3 dwelling units as-of-right

· No rezoning, no planning amendment

· Parking minimums removed for additional units

· Development charges waived on units 2 & 3

· One provincial framework, applied uniformly

ONTARIO · 2022 → 2026
How the door opened.
From provincial legislation to homeowner reality, in four steps.
Before
The old rules — a patchwork.
Each Ontario municipality set its own ARU rules. Most required rezoning. Most charged development fees. Most ran approval timelines beyond a year. Building a backyard home meant fighting your city.
Now 2022
Bill 23 — Royal Assent (More Homes Built Faster Act).
Up to 3 residential units permitted as-of-right on most Ontario lots. Development charges waived on additional units. Parking minimums lifted. One law, all municipalities.
Jan 2023
Local bylaws aligned.
O. Reg. 299/19 amendments became effective. Municipalities began updating zoning codes to match the provincial framework. Fees waived. Forms reissued.
2023
Oakville & Burlington — locally aligned.
The Town of Oakville and City of Burlington both updated their zoning bylaws to permit up to three dwelling units on most residential lots, including detached Garden Suites — bringing Halton Region in line with the provincial framework.
2024
Bill 185 — streamlining further.
The Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act removed additional municipal discretion. Approval times tightened. Design review standardized. Ontario now sits closer to California's 2019-era posture.
2026
Where we are now.
Three years into the regulatory shift. The law is settled. The municipalities are aligned. The financing is in place. What's still missing is execution.
LOCAL · HALTON REGION
Oakville and Burlington, aligned.
Provincial law set the framework. Local municipalities translated it into specific rules — lot sizes, setbacks, building heights, parking. Both Oakville and Burlington updated their zoning bylaws within the year following Bill 23 to comply with the provincial direction.
TOWN OF OAKVILLE

Aligned 2023.

· Zoning By-law 2014-014 updated

· Up to 3 dwelling units permitted on most residential lots

· Garden Suite (detached ARU) provisions clarified

· Permits flowing under the new framework

CITY OF BURLINGTON

Aligned 2023.

· Zoning By-law 2020 updated

· Up to 3 dwelling units permitted on most residential lots

· Pre-existing ADU framework expanded

· Permits flowing under the new framework

If you own a lot in Oakville or Burlington, the door isn't theoretical. It's open.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
Three things changed as-of-right.
In six years (2016–2022), California permitted more backyard homes than any jurisdiction in modern North American history.
3 units
Permitted on most
residential lots
$0
Development charges
on units 2 & 3
No
Rezoning required
for additional units
"As-of-right" is the language that matters. It means the municipality cannot refuse what the province has already permitted. Your right, by law.
WHAT YOU CAN NOW BUILD
A Backyard Home, behind your home.
A real second home on your own property. Independent. Full-sized. Complete in itself. Built as a product,
not a project — engineered, permitted, and delivered properly.

Bill 23 made it possible. Visioom makes it real.

[background image] image of open workspace with advanced tech equipment (for an ai education tech company)
Burak KORUCU
Founder, Visioom
May 2026

let’s see what’s possible on your property

We’ll review your lot and show what you can build.
See what’s possible
Visit Our Showroom in Oakville