The Township is proposing amendments to the Township’s Official Plan and Zoning by-law, which is required to reflect the legislative directives on Bill 108 and Bill 23. The Amendments propose to provide policies and regulations to promote additional housing opportunities and to provide affordable housing options in the form of Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs) throughout the Township of Scugog.

To implement Provincial policy directives related to affordable housing initiatives, municipalities across the province are undertaking Official Plan Amendments and Zoning By-law Amendments to update their planning documents to incorporate the necessary policies and provisions to regulate this newest form of gentle intensification. Municipalities through their planning documents have the authority to establish conditions or performance standards to regulate additional dwelling units within settlement areas. Further, additional dwelling units may also be permitted in rural areas subject to conditions outlined in the planning documents.

Recommendation Report:

A Recommendation Report has been brought forward to Scugog Council at the Planning and Community Affairs Committee meeting on Monday, March 17, 2025 at 6:30 pm. The Recommendation will be ratified by Council at the March 24, 2025 Council Meeting.

To Access the Report and Agenda: The Agenda will be available for viewing at the following link: Agendas and Minutes | Township of Scugog

To watch the video recording of the meeting, click on the Planning and Community Affairs meeting on March 17, 2025, and select the HTML version of the agenda to follow along with the agenda and video recording at the same time.

Accessibility: The Township of Scugog is committed to providing services as set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. If you have accessibility needs and require alternate formats or other accommodations, please contact Township Clerk Services by telephone at 905-985-7346 or by email at clerks@scugog.ca.


What are Additional Dwelling Units?

  • Self-contained residential units
  • Separate from primary residential unit: includes a separate entrance, kitchen facilities, washroom facilities and living space
  • Contained within a dwelling or a building or structure accessory to a dwelling
  • Other common names: secondary units, basement apartments, granny flats, in-law apartments, accessory dwelling units

Examples of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Configurations:

  1. One (1) ADU within the house; or
  2. Two (2) ADUs within the house; or
  3. One (1) ADU attached and/or one (1) ADU within the house; or
  4. One (1) detached ADU in the yard; or
  5. One (1) ADU within the house and one (1) detached ADU in the yard.

There are several provincial and regional policy documents that the Township's Official Plan and Zoning By-law must conform to, which may impact ADU permissions on individual properties. These policy documents include:

  • Planning Act
  • Provincial Planning Statement
  • Greenbelt Plan
  • Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
  • Durham Regional Official Plan (Envision Durham)

Port Perry Urban Area, Hamlets and Residential Clusters outside of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area:

  • Two (2) ADUs per principal dwelling OR one (1) ADU within the primary residential dwelling in addition to one (1) ADU within an accessory building/structure
  • Maximum of three (3) dwelling units per lot

Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area:

  • Maximum of one (1) ADU will be permitted only within the primary residential dwelling in the Countryside Area, provided they were zoned for such use and legally existed as of November 15, 2001
  • ADUs would be prohibited within Natural Core Area or Natural Linkage Area
  • ADUs would be prohibited within Detached Accessory Buildings or Structures within the ORM Area

Rural Areas (lands outside Port Perry, Hamlets, Greenbelt Natural Heritage System and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan Area):

  • ADUs would only be permitted within existing single detached dwellings that are on existing lots of record and zoned for such use at the time the Greenbelt Plan came into force (July 1, 2017)
  • or ADUs would only be permitted within accessory buildings or structures that legally existing at the time the Greenbelt Plan came into force (July 1, 2017)

Shoreline Area:

  • Maximum of one (1) ADU permitted within the primary residential building
  • ADUs would be prohibited within any accessory building or structure


Public Open House:

A Public Open House was held on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 in Council Chambers.

See Documents Section for formal Notice of Public Open House and Public Meeting as well as the PowerPoint Presentation for more details.

Public Meeting:

A Public Meeting was held on Monday, December 9, 2024, as part of the Planning and Community Affairs Committee Meeting.

See Item 11.1 for Information Report on PCA Agenda: Planning and Community Affairs Committee - December 09, 2024

See Public Meeting Minutes at the following link: eSCRIBE Minutes

See Documents Section for formal Notice of Public Open House and Public Meeting for more details.

For More Information:

For more information, to ask questions, and/or to be notified of subsequent meetings or the decision of the Township of Scugog Council, please send an email to planning@scugog.ca.