Homes With Multiplex Potential in the Fraser Valley
Multiplex potential means a lot where you could build more than one house, and it is one of the most common reasons buyers pay a premium for an ordinary-looking house. It is real in many places and false in others, and the difference comes down to a few rules that you can check before you make an offer.
What the Province now requires
Under the Province's small-scale multi-unit housing rules, municipalities must allow at least three units on single-family and duplex lots of 280 m² or smaller, and at least four on lots larger than 280 m². On lots larger than 280 m² near frequent bus service, they must allow six. A bus stop counts as frequent if at least one route stops there at least every 15 minutes on average from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
The rules apply to areas inside an urban containment boundary and to municipalities with more than 5,000 people, with some exemptions. Under Bill 25 (2025), local governments were to update their bylaws by June 30, 2026 unless they had an extension. Secondary suites and accessory dwelling units are allowed in single-family zones across the province where the three-to-six-unit rules do not apply.
Multi-unit rules, city by city
Cities wrote their own bylaws to meet the Province's minimums, so numbers, dates and conditions differ. This table gathers what each city's own pages say.
| City | Bylaw | Units allowed | Adopted or status | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey | Zoning Bylaw No. 12000, amended | 3 units on lots under 280 m²; 4 on lots over 280 m²; up to 6 on eligible lots of at least 281 m² within 400 m of a prescribed 15-minute bus stop | Adopted and in effect July 8, 2024. Council approved a review of the regulations on July 27, 2026 | No off-street parking required in frequent bus stop areas on qualifying lots |
| Pitt Meadows | Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 2986, 2024 | 3 units on lots of 280 m² or less; 4 on lots over 280 m²; up to 6 over 280 m² within 400 m of frequent bus service | Adopted June 25, 2024 | Excludes heritage properties, lots over 4,050 m² and lots not connected to water or sewer. Transit-oriented areas cover land within 400 m of the Pitt Meadows and Maple Meadows West Coast Express stations |
| Maple Ridge | Zone Amending Bylaw No. 7998-2024 | 3 units on lots under 281 m²; up to 4 on lots from 281 m² to 4,050 m²; 6 on lots of at least 281 m² within 400 m of a frequent bus stop | Adopted June 25, 2024 | Parking: 1.5 spaces per principal unit and 1 per accessory unit, none in prescribed bus stop areas |
| Delta | Zoning amendment bylaws (numbers not on the page read) | At least 4 units on single detached or duplex lots over 280 m²; at least 6 within 400 m of frequent transit | First, second and third readings June 3, 2024; the adoption date was not stated on the page read | Height, setbacks and lot coverage stay as they were. No public hearing, because the Province prohibits one for these amendments |
| Langley City | Bylaw No. 3284 (Zoning Bylaw 1996, No. 2100, Amendment No. 204, 2024) | Up to 4 units in RS1 and RS2 zones as a "plex-home"; up to 6 within 400 m of frequent bus service | First and second readings June 3, 2024; the adoption date was not stated on the pages read | Plex-homes are not permitted as a use on land in a transit-oriented area. Single detached homes with suites remain permitted |
| Abbotsford | Zoning bylaw amendments (day and number not on the page read) | Set by the City under the provincial rules | Adopted June 2024, per the City | Check section 140 of the Zoning Bylaw and the City's FAQ before relying on a unit count |
| Mission | Zoning Amending Bylaw 6299-2024-5949(163) | Set by the City under the provincial rules | Adopted July 17, 2024 at a special meeting, after a July 15 adoption motion was defeated | Amends Zoning Bylaw 5949-2020 |
| Chilliwack | Zoning Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 2024, No. 5395 | Up to 4 units on single detached or duplex lots over 280 m² inside the urban growth boundary | — | Two parking spaces per unit are kept |
Sources: Province of BC small-scale multi-unit housing page; City of Surrey SSMUH page; City of Pitt Meadows provincial housing legislation page; City of Maple Ridge SSMUH page and housing open house boards; Corporation of Delta news release; City of Langley bylaw 3284 and readings notice; City of Abbotsford housing blog; City of Mission council minutes; City of Chilliwack council meeting of June 4, 2024.
Checks before you pay for multiplex potential
The unit count in a listing is a claim, not a permit. Before you rely on it, check the following, most of which come straight from the city rules above.
First, the zone. Eligibility starts with single-family or duplex zoning, so a lot in a comprehensive development zone follows its own bylaw. Surrey's page, for example, sets separate extra-unit rules by lot size for its CD zones.
Second, the lot area. The thresholds sit at 280 m² or 281 m² and, in Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge, at 4,050 m² (about one acre). A lot a few square metres short of a threshold changes the answer, so get the survey figure and not the listing figure.
Third, the distance to frequent transit. Six units depend on being within 400 m of a qualifying bus stop, and the cities publish tools or maps for this. Fourth, services and exclusions: Pitt Meadows excludes heritage properties and lots not connected to water or sewer, and Maple Ridge does not allow secondary suites in its floodplain area.
Last, the cost of getting there. Maple Ridge requires an Engineering Service Review before a building permit, and Surrey says a building permit is needed for any multi-unit build. Surrey also says units built without permits are not made legal after the fact, so ask for the permit record.
Secondary suites and coach houses
A suite is the simplest way to add income. Maple Ridge permits one secondary suite per lot, inside the same building as a single detached house, no larger than 40% of the building's gross floor area and not in the floodplain area. Surrey's page says a house may have only one secondary suite under the BC Building Code, and that the City does not make unpermitted suites or coach houses legal retroactively. White Rock lists a registered secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit as separate accessory uses and allows only one of its listed accessory uses at a time.
Neighbourhoods where I track multiplex potential
Open the guide for the area, then check the lot against the rules above.
Central Abbotsford (Abbotsford)
Multiplex potential: your questions answered
Does a lot over 280 m² automatically allow four units?
Not automatically. The Province sets four units as the minimum a city must allow on single-family and duplex lots over 280 m², with some exemptions, and each city then applies it to its own zones. Surrey, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Delta and Chilliwack publish this 280 m² threshold. Langley City's bylaw allows up to four units in its RS1 and RS2 zones without stating a lot-size threshold. Check the lot's zone, its surveyed area and any exclusions.
What makes six units possible?
Being within 400 m of a frequent bus stop, meaning a route that stops at least every 15 minutes on average during the Province's set weekday and weekend hours, on a lot the city's rules allow it for. The Province's tier is for lots larger than 280 m². Surrey, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Delta and Langley City all describe a six-unit tier near frequent bus service.
Do I need a public hearing or neighbour approval to build under these rules?
The Province prohibits public hearings for the zoning amendments that implement the rules, and Maple Ridge says most developments under them do not need public notice. A building permit is still required.
Can I book a private showing with Jared?
Yes. Jared Gibbons, REALTOR® with Royal LePage Little Oak Realty, books private showings across the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver. Call or text 604-928-1361, or use the contact form on this site.
What Buyers & Sellers Say
Excerpts from Google reviews for Jared Gibbons, REALTOR® at Royal LePage Little Oak Realty (Suite 201 - 15272 Croydon Dr, Surrey). Quoted word for word; initials only.
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5 out of 5 stars
“Jared has been a massive help, both in the purchase of our home and the selling of our previous home. Very responsive to communication and willing to help way beyond my expectations. Can't recommend him enough!”
R.B. Google review
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5 out of 5 stars
“Buying my first home was an exciting yet daunting experience, but Jared made the entire process seamless and enjoyable!…”
T.T. Google review
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5 out of 5 stars
“Jared and his team made our home buying experience flawless and straightforward. As a first time home buyer I had a ton of questions that he was able to answer right away and he got us into our dream home at the perfect price point for our budget…”
J.M. Google review
Ready to get started?
Call 604-928-1361 or Email me today and let's discuss your next home sale or purchase.