What makes a Whitby second unit legal
Ontario legislation now permits extra residential units in most serviced houses as of right, and the Town of Whitby reportedly registers them through its own additional dwelling unit process, but registration only follows a unit that meets both the Building Code and Ontario's Fire Code. In practice that means a building permit for the conversion, ceiling heights and window sizes that satisfy the code, a fire separation between the two units with interconnected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, a second means of escape, an Electrical Safety Authority inspection of any new wiring, and enough parking under the zoning that applies to that street, which can differ between older Whitby and Brooklin because the town reportedly still operates more than one legacy zoning by-law. Ask the seller for the permit history and the registration, and check the Town's own records rather than the listing. Also ask whether a tenant is in place, because under the Residential Tenancies Act the lease comes with the house.