How many units can I build on my lot in Burnaby?

Most former single-family lots in Burnaby now sit in the R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District, which permits up to 4 dwelling units on lots of 281 m² or more - and up to 6 units when the lot is inside a Frequent Transit Network Area. Small lots under 281 m² are capped at 3 units. Run your address to get the figure for your specific parcel.

What is Burnaby's R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District?

R1 is the zoning district Burnaby created to implement Bill 44 (SSMUH). It replaced the city's old numbered single- and two-family residential districts, and permits small-scale multi-unit housing, rowhouse dwellings, and related uses outright - no rezoning required.

Do I need to rezone to build a multiplex in Burnaby?

No. Small-scale multi-unit housing is a permitted use in the R1 district, so an eligible project goes straight to development and building permits rather than a discretionary rezoning. You still have to meet the district's lot coverage, height, setback, and unit-mix rules.

Does Burnaby's R1 zone use floor space ratio (FSR)?

No - unlike Vancouver's R1-1, Burnaby's R1 district does not regulate density through FSR. Buildable area is controlled by maximum lot coverage (40% for 3–4 units, 45% for 5–6 units), height limits (10 m / 3 storeys), setbacks, and the unit caps themselves.

What are the setbacks and height limits in Burnaby R1?

Front principal buildings can reach 10 m (sloping roof) or 9.5 m (flat roof) and 3 storeys for multi-unit projects. Minimum setbacks are 4.0 m front, 3.0 m flanking street and interior rear, 1.5 m lane, and 1.2 m interior side. Rear buildings (e.g. laneway-style) are capped at 7.5 m / 2 storeys.

Are there family-unit requirements in Burnaby R1?

Yes. Projects with 4 to 6 units must include at least 2 units with 3 or more bedrooms; projects of 1 to 3 units must include at least one. At least one unit must also have its main entrance facing the street.

Bill 44 · SSMUH · Burnaby

How Many Units Can You Build on a Burnaby Lot?

Burnaby replaced its old single-family districts with a single R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District. Here's what your lot likely allows now - 3, 4, or 6 units - and how to confirm the exact number.

Updated July 2026

Bill 44 map See what your Burnaby lot can hold

Search an address to open the exact lot on the map, with its unit count and the rule behind it.

Open the full Burnaby map

Until 2024, most residential lots in Burnaby were locked to a single house - maybe with a suite. That changed when the province passed Bill 44, the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) legislation, and Burnaby responded by consolidating its long-standing single- and two-family districts into one new zone: the R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District.

The short version: a standard Burnaby lot (281 m² and up) now permits up to 4 dwelling units outright - and up to 6 units if the lot sits inside a Frequent Transit Network Area. Secondary suites count toward the total.

Small lot Up to 3 units Rowhouse lots ≤ 280 m² Standard lot Up to 4 units 281 m² and up Near frequent transit Up to 6 units Frequent Transit Network Area, ≥ 281 m² The honest caveat

These are the framework numbers from Burnaby's R1 district schedule. Your actual entitlement depends on lot area, transit proximity, lot coverage, and servicing. Always confirm against the current bylaw - or just run your address and let ZoneScout pull the figure for your parcel.

What Bill 44 actually requires

Bill 44 - the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, passed in late 2023 - requires most BC municipalities over 5,000 people to allow Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing on land previously reserved for single-family homes or duplexes. The provincial minimums are:

At least 3 units on most lots previously zoned single-family or duplex.
At least 4 units on lots larger than roughly 280 m².
Up to 6 units on larger lots within 400 m of frequent (bus or rail) transit service.

Burnaby implemented these requirements through its R1 district - and the 281 m² lot-area threshold in the bylaw maps directly onto the provincial 280 m² line.

How Burnaby implemented it: the R1 district

Burnaby's R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District provides for ground-oriented housing up to a maximum of 6 dwelling units per lot. If your property was in one of Burnaby's old numbered residential districts, it is almost certainly R1 today. Under R1 you can generally build:

A single house or a house with a secondary suite (1–2 units).
A multiplex of 3–4 units on a standard lot (281 m²+) - the headline change.
5–6 units where the lot is inside a Frequent Transit Network Area.
Rowhouse dwellings on small subdivided lots (up to 280 m² each), including fee-simple rowhomes.

All of this is outright - permitted by the zone - so an eligible project goes straight to development and building permits instead of a rezoning.

What actually drives your unit count

Lot area

The 281 m² threshold is the key line: below it you're capped at 3 units, at or above it you can reach 4. Nearly every standard Burnaby lot clears 281 m² comfortably - a typical 33-ft × 122-ft lot is about 374 m².

Transit proximity

The jump from 4 to 6 units is entirely about location: lots inside a Frequent Transit Network Area (near SkyTrain stations and frequent bus corridors) qualify for 5–6 units. Burnaby's extensive SkyTrain coverage - the Expo and Millennium lines both cross the city - means a meaningful share of its residential land qualifies.

Lot coverage instead of FSR

Unlike Vancouver's R1-1 zone, Burnaby's R1 does not use floor space ratio. Buildable area is governed by maximum lot coverage - 40% for 3–4 unit projects, 45% for 5–6 units - together with the 10 m / 3-storey height limit and setbacks (4.0 m front, 3.0 m rear, 1.2 m side, 1.5 m lane).

Unit mix

Burnaby also requires family-sized homes in every project: at least 2 of the units must have 3+ bedrooms in a 4–6 unit project (1 unit in smaller projects), and at least one unit's main entrance must face the street.

Skip the manual math

ZoneScout reads your lot's area, frontage, and zone, then computes the permitted unit count, buildable area, height, and setbacks in seconds. Look up your address →

Next steps for your lot

Run your address to get the exact permitted unit count and buildable envelope.
Compare with what Vancouver lots allow under R1-1.
Browse the Burnaby zoning guide for a breakdown of every residential and mixed-use zone.
Confirm figures against the City of Burnaby's official zoning bylaw before designing or applying.

Burnaby zoning map

Ready to check your own lot?

Search your address to open the exact lot on the map. ZoneScout checks its unit band and the rule that applies to it.

Frequently asked questions

How many units does your Burnaby lot allow?

Enter your Burnaby address and ZoneScout returns your permitted unit count, lot coverage, height, and setbacks - cited from the R1 district schedule.

Look up your address