The Township of Rideau Lakes hosted the Additional Residential Unit/Tiny Home Summit at the North Crosby Community Hall on Tuesday, June 25th to an audience of over 40 people to showcase the possibilities of living in a tiny home. 

The one-day program consisted of a series of guest speakers touching on topics of municipal approvals, affordability, the building process, as well as personal experiences about what it is like to live in a tiny home. Municipal staff were present to discuss planning and building requirements, as well as answer general questions. A tiny home was brought onsite to allow attendees to explore the smart design and features that can be incorporated into custom builds.

Municipal leaders have noted that there is a lot of interest from the community about the benefits of creating additional living quarters. Mayor Hoogenboom remarked, “The Township is looking forward to helping residents better meet their own family housing needs or have the opportunity to earn income through additional units. We are pleased to see such community support for the common goal of offering more housing opportunities within Rideau Lakes.”

Guest speakers included Caroline Rigutto, the Affordable Housing Coordinator for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville who discussed additional residential units, Ed Peterson, the Founder and Director of the Tiny Town Association and a presentation of their community projects within Eastern Ontario.  Attendees also heard from Colette Kenny of Half Acre Homestead and her experience living in and building her own tiny homes. The fourth speaker was Yuergen Beck, President of Redwood Homes who specializes in constructing tiny homes.

Additional units and tiny homes are growing trends throughout Canada and are viewed as a viable solution to the current housing crisis.  The Township of Rideau Lakes amended its Zoning By-law in 2023 to recognize the changing needs of property owners and their families and broadly permit Additional Residential Units and Tiny Homes.  The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville introduced a secondary suite funding program in 2022 in line with provincial objectives.

Those interested in learning more about additional residential unit or tiny homes, can contact the Township of Rideau Lakes at or 613-928-2251 ext. 222.