What BC's New Housing Laws Mean for Buyers
You have probably heard about Bill 44 and small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH). Most of what has been written about these changes is aimed at owners who want to build. This page is for buyers shopping for a finished multiplex home.
Questions about this guide: Gary Paul, REALTOR®, Personal Real Estate Corporation, Grand Central Realty, 778-828-7476
Key Topics
What SSMUH Is, in Plain Language
Small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) is a BC rule from Bill 44, passed in November 2023. Lots that used to allow one house or a duplex must now allow at least 3 homes (lots of 280 m² or less) or 4 (larger lots), and 6 on larger lots near frequent bus service. This is one reason more new duplex, triplex and fourplex homes are for sale.
Most Cities Adopted It by 2024
By July 23, 2024, 162 of BC's 188 local governments had passed the new rules, the Province reported. Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, New Westminster and the District of North Vancouver were among them. Coquitlam and the City of North Vancouver had asked for extensions.
West Vancouver Voted Against
The District of West Vancouver's council voted against the changes on May 27, 2024, and the Province sent it a non-compliance notice. If you are comparing homes on the North Shore, check each city's current rules before you decide.
Your Home and Strata Stay as They Are
These rules govern what can be built on other lots. Your strata's bylaws and fees are set inside your own building under the Strata Property Act, and the home you buy keeps the features in your contract.
A 2025 Law Closed Gaps
Bill 25 (2025) made the minimums apply to every lot in a zone limited to a house or a duplex. Local governments have until June 30, 2026 to update their bylaws for it, unless they applied for an extension.
More Supply Is Coming Gradually
Lots near the one you are buying can now be rebuilt as a triplex or fourplex without a rezoning. In our view, streets near frequent bus routes will change faster, because larger lots there must allow 6 homes.
What SSMUH Is, and Why It Matters to Buyers
SSMUH (small-scale multi-unit housing) is a BC rule from Bill 44 (2023) that requires local governments to allow 3 to 6 homes on lots that used to allow one house or a duplex. The deadline to update zoning was June 30, 2024, and 162 of 188 local governments had done so by July 23, 2024, the Province reported.
Here is what it means if you are a buyer looking for a finished home.
In most residential neighbourhoods, a standard lot was limited to one house, sometimes with a secondary suite or a laneway house, depending on the city. Anything more needed a rezoning application.
In places that adopted the rules, a lot zoned for a house must allow at least 3 homes (280 m² or less) or 4 (larger lots), and 6 on larger lots near a bus stop served at least every 15 minutes on average. No rezoning is needed.
Because no rezoning is needed, new multiplex homes can come to market faster and in more established neighbourhoods. That is why you are seeing new fourplexes on streets of older houses.
Sources: Province of BC, “Small-scale, multi-unit housing” (last updated January 20, 2026). Province of BC news release, “Nearly 90% of B.C. communities have adopted small-scale multi-unit housing legislation”, July 25, 2024. Both read October 9, 2026.
Which Cities Adopted the Rules
Here is where Greater Vancouver local governments stood after the June 30, 2024 deadline, as the Province reported on July 25, 2024.
| Local government | Status in July 2024 |
|---|---|
| Vancouver | Adopted by July 23, 2024 |
| Burnaby | Adopted by July 23, 2024 |
| Surrey | Adopted by July 23, 2024 |
| New Westminster | Adopted by July 23, 2024 |
| District of North Vancouver | Adopted by July 23, 2024 |
| Coquitlam | Asked for an extension |
| City of North Vancouver | Asked for an extension |
| District of West Vancouver | Council voted against on May 27, 2024; sent a non-compliance notice |
Source: Province of BC news release and community list, July 25, 2024, read October 9, 2026. Bill 25 (2025) set a further deadline of June 30, 2026, so a city's status may have changed since. Check the Province's community list or the city for the current rules on a particular lot.
What SSMUH Means for Buyers, in Three Ways
The rules leave the home you are buying as it is, and they shape the neighbourhood you are buying into. Here is how.
More homes can come to your street
Lots next to the one you are buying can now be rebuilt from a single house into a triplex or fourplex without a rezoning application. In our view, if you are buying a new multiplex home in East Vancouver or South Burnaby, your street may look different in five to ten years, with more homes and fewer standalone houses.
For most buyers, we see this as neutral or positive: more neighbours, more activity, and steady demand for the area. Larger lots near frequent bus service must allow 6 homes, so we expect those streets to change faster. On quieter streets further from frequent buses, change may take a decade or more.
Your home and strata stay as they are
The rules apply to future building on other lots. The property you are buying, your strata bylaws and your home's features stay as your contract and disclosure documents describe them.
The bottom line: Your strata fees, strata bylaws, home size, parking and ownership rights are set by your own building and its owners under the Strata Property Act. Owners approve the budget by majority vote at the annual general meeting, and a bylaw change needs a three-quarter vote (section 128).
The North Shore went three ways
As of July 2024The District of North Vancouver had adopted the rules, the City of North Vancouver had asked for an extension, and the District of West Vancouver's council voted against them on May 27, 2024, according to the Province. If you are comparing homes across the North Shore, ask each city what its zoning allows on the streets you are looking at today, since a 2026 deadline has passed since that report.
Quick summary for buyers
BC housing rules changed between 2023 and 2026. In our view, the result for multiplex buyers is positive: more new homes for sale in more established neighbourhoods. On October 9, 2026, we counted 617 half duplex and townhome listings for sale in Vancouver and Burnaby.
If you are considering the North Shore, the three local governments made different choices in 2024, and those choices will shape what gets built there over the next decade.
For most buyers in Vancouver, Burnaby or Surrey, the new rules mean you are buying into neighbourhoods that will keep changing. We think that supports demand for the homes around you over the long term, and it is worth knowing before you choose a street.
Sources: Province of BC, "Small-scale, multi-unit housing" (last updated January 20, 2026). Province of BC news release and community list, July 25, 2024. Strata Property Act, section 128 (BC Laws). MultiLiving count of active MLS® listings, October 9, 2026. All read October 9, 2026.
General information only. The zoning rules, local government status and policy summaries on this page are based on the Province of BC's published information as of the dates noted (status as reported July 25, 2024; rules page updated January 20, 2026). Zoning rules, bylaws and compliance status change. Before making any purchase decision based on zoning or neighbourhood policy, check the current rules with the relevant local government and speak with a licensed real estate professional who knows the area. For questions about the property transfer tax figures above, see the Tax Rebates guide or ask a real estate lawyer.
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Key Takeaways
- Small-scale multi-unit housing rules let 3 to 6 homes be built on lots that used to hold one house, without a rezoning.
- Bill 44's deadline was June 30, 2024, and 162 of 188 BC local governments had adopted the rules by July 23, 2024.
- The District of West Vancouver voted against the rules in May 2024. Coquitlam and the City of North Vancouver asked for more time.
- The rules govern what can be built on nearby lots. Your strata's fees and bylaws are set inside your own building.
- Bill 25 (2025) widened the rules, with a deadline of June 30, 2026.
- In our view, streets near frequent bus routes will change faster than quieter streets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) in BC?
Small-scale multi-unit housing, or SSMUH, is the Province of BC's rule that lots zoned for a single house or a duplex must allow more homes. According to the Province's page, last updated January 20, 2026, that means at least 3 homes on lots of 280 m² or less, at least 4 on larger lots, and 6 on larger lots near frequent bus service, in a municipality or regional district of at least 5,000 people. It is one reason new duplex, triplex and fourplex homes are for sale in older neighbourhoods.
Is SSMUH the same as Bill 44?
They are linked. Bill 44 is the provincial law passed in November 2023 that created the small-scale multi-unit housing rules, and SSMUH is the name for the homes those rules allow. Bill 44 gave local governments until June 30, 2024 to update their zoning, according to the Province of BC. A later law, Bill 25 (2025), made the minimums apply to every lot in a zone limited to a house or a duplex, with a deadline of June 30, 2026 unless a local government applied for an extension.
Did every Greater Vancouver city adopt the new rules?
Most did by mid-2024. The Province of BC reported on July 25, 2024 that 162 of 188 local governments had passed the new bylaws, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, New Westminster and the District of North Vancouver. Coquitlam and the City of North Vancouver had asked for extensions. The District of West Vancouver voted against the changes on May 27, 2024 and was sent a non-compliance notice. For a city's current status, check the Province's community list or ask the city.
Does SSMUH affect the strata fees or rules of the building I am buying?
No. Your strata fees and bylaws are set inside your own building under BC's Strata Property Act, and the small-scale housing rules govern what can be built on other lots. Under that Act, owners approve the budget and fees by majority vote at the annual general meeting, and a bylaw change needs a three-quarter vote and takes effect only once it is filed in the land title office (section 128). The housing rules change what may be built near you.
Will my neighbourhood change because of the new rules?
Over time, yes, and fastest near frequent buses. Lots larger than 280 m² near a bus stop served at least every 15 minutes on average (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends) must allow 6 homes, according to the Province of BC. Other house lots must allow 3 or 4. Each owner decides when to sell or rebuild, so in our view a quiet street will change one lot at a time over many years.
Why are there more new multiplex homes for sale now?
Mostly because BC's 2023 law lets owners build 3 to 6 homes on lots that used to hold one house, without asking the city to rezone. On October 9, 2026, MultiLiving counted 617 half duplex and townhome listings for sale in Vancouver and Burnaby on the MLS® system, and the middle half were priced from $1,398,000 to $2,088,000. Greater Vancouver REALTORS publishes no price index for multiplex homes, so these are our own counts of active listings.
Can a strata stop me renting out my multiplex home?
Yes. Since November 24, 2022, no strata in British Columbia can have a bylaw that stops owners from renting out their home, according to the Province of BC. That covers almost every multiplex home, because most are sold as strata homes. A strata can still limit or ban short-term rentals, such as nightly stays, with a three-quarter vote of owners, so read the bylaws before you plan on that kind of rental.
Do I pay property transfer tax on a new multiplex home?
Often not. British Columbia's Newly Built Home Exemption removes property transfer tax on a newly built home worth up to $1,100,000, with a partial exemption up to $1,150,000, according to the Province of BC. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, move in within 92 days, and live there as your main home for the first year. Above $1,150,000 you pay the normal tax, which on a $1,400,000 home is $26,000.
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