What Is R2 Zoning in BC? It Depends on the City
R2 is a townhouse zone in Burnaby, a quarter-acre zone in Surrey and a two-family zone in Victoria. Here is what R2 (or R-2) means in 10 BC cities, with the height and density limits in each.
The short answer
- 10 BC cities in this comparison that use an R2 or R-2 zone
- 7.6 to 11.6 m range of maximum building heights where the bylaw sets one
- 0.5 to 1.2 range of floor space ratios (FSR) where the bylaw sets one
R2 is a residential zone code, but there is no provincial definition of it. Every BC municipality writes its own zoning bylaw and picks its own codes, so R2 in one city can have almost nothing in common with R2 in the next. In some cities it is a townhouse zone, in others a larger-lot single-family zone, and in Victoria it is a two-family (duplex) zone.
Since 2024, the province's small-scale multi-unit housing rules (Bill 44) also let many residential lots hold more homes than older zone tables state. The number of units a specific R2 lot can hold depends on the city, the lot size and those provincial rules together.
R2 zoning by city
The table lists the zone name, maximum height and floor space ratio ZoneScout reads from each city's bylaw for its R2 (or R-2) zone. A dash means the bylaw does not set a single figure for that zone in the form we record.
| City | Zone name | Max height | FSR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burnaby | Townhouse District | - | - |
| Chilliwack | Urban Residential Transition | 10 m | 0.6 |
| City of Langley | Townhouse Residential | 11 m | 1.2 |
| Coquitlam (R-2) | Compact Small-Scale Residential | 11 m | 0.75 |
| District of North Vancouver | Urban Detached Residential | 11.6 m | - |
| Kamloops | Residential 2 | 11 m | - |
| Nanaimo | Single Dwelling Residential, Small Lot | 9 m | - |
| Surrey | Quarter Acre Residential | 11 m | 1.0 |
| Township of Langley (R-2) | Residential | 9 m | - |
| Victoria (R-2) | Two Family Dwelling District | 7.6 m | 0.5 |
Burnaby R2 · Coquitlam R-2 · Surrey R2 · Kamloops R2 · Nanaimo R2 · Victoria R-2
Why R2 means different things
Cities number their residential zones from their own starting point. Burnaby's 2026 bylaw starts at R1 for rowhouses and uses R2 for townhouses. Surrey's R2 is named for its lot size, a quarter acre. Victoria's R-2 dates from its 1980 bylaw and is built around a two-family house.
So a listing that just says "zoned R2" tells you very little until you know the city. Read the zone name next to the code, and check which bylaw it comes from.
Check your own lot
Enter the address in ZoneScout to see the zone in force for that lot today, how many units it can hold under the city's bylaw and the provincial rules, and the setbacks and height that apply.
What is A1 zoning in BC? · What is RS-1 zoning in BC? · BC zoning terms explained: FSR, lot coverage, setbacks
Frequently asked questions
What does R2 zoning mean in BC?
R2 is a residential zone code set by each municipality. It can mean a townhouse zone (Burnaby, City of Langley), a larger-lot zone (Surrey's Quarter Acre Residential) or a two-family zone (Victoria), so the city matters as much as the code.
Can I build a duplex on R2 land?
In many BC cities, yes, and often more than two units under the province's 2024 small-scale multi-unit housing rules. The exact count depends on the city, the lot size and servicing, so check the specific address.
How do I find out what my R2 lot allows?
Search the address in ZoneScout. For covered BC cities it shows the zone in force, the unit count and the main building limits for that lot.