In New Zealand, the tiny home movement has gained traction, and with it comes a wave of creative renovation solutions. Homeowners are learning how to maximize small spaces without compromising comfort.
Multi-functional furniture is central to these designs. Fold-down beds and built-in benches with hidden storage keep living areas flexible. Skylights and large windows expand the sense of space while connecting interiors to the outdoors. Local timber is often used for cabinetry and accents, giving tiny homes both warmth and sustainability.
Here is a quirky trick: some renovators use magnetic strips along walls to hold kitchen utensils or tools. It saves drawer space and creates an unexpected design feature.
Tiny homes in New Zealand prove that clever renovations do not need to be big in scale to deliver impact. By embracing innovation, homeowners craft spaces that are affordable, efficient, and uniquely personal. The tiny trend continues to inspire renovators worldwide.
The Canadian version of this is the garden suite, and in Toronto it is now a fully permitted build rather than a novelty. The City of Toronto’s garden suites page defines it as a self-contained unit in a detached rear-yard building, allowed in the R, RD, RS, RT and RM zones under Zoning By-law 569-2013, and says plainly that a building permit is required. The commonly cited limits are a 60 m² footprint and a two-storey, 6 m height cap, with the exact setbacks in Chapter 150.7 of the by-law and depending on how far the suite sits from the main house.
Province-wide, Bill 23 amended section 16(3) of the Planning Act so that most lots on municipal water and sewer can carry up to three units as of right, which is what makes a main house, a basement suite and a garden suite legal on one ordinary lot.
Two things make it cheaper and faster than it was when this thread started.
Toronto now publishes 12 pre-approved garden and laneway suite plans (studio and two-bedroom) that you reference by plan number instead of submitting full drawings, though site plan, grading and a full code review still apply.
The City exempts second, third and fourth units from development charges under By-law 1137-2022 and from parkland dedication.
On price, Leedway Group’s 2026 Toronto guide puts a turnkey 60 m² suite at roughly $310,000 to $470,000, so the New Zealand idea of a cheap tiny build does not translate here. Toronto’s 2026 permit fee is $18.56 per m² for residential.
Is anyone here pricing a garden suite in the GTA this year, and did the pre-approved plans fit your lot?
Here is a quirky trick: some renovators use magnetic strips along walls to hold kitchen utensils or tools. It saves drawer space and creates an unexpected design feature.
