Home and Multiplex Construction in Port Moody, BC

British Columbia's Bill 44 (2023) requires cities to allow small-scale, multi-unit housing on lots zoned for one house or a duplex, with no rezoning. Port Moody calls this SSMUH and approved its zoning changes in June 2024 (Bylaw No. 3460). As of the City's SSMUH page, last updated July 2025, an eligible lot under 280 m² (3,014 sq. ft.) may hold 3 homes, a lot from 280 m² to 4,050 m² (1 acre) may hold 4, and a lot in that size range within 400 m of a bus stop with service every 15 minutes or less may hold 6.

Per that page, lots inside the Transit-Oriented Areas around Moody Centre and Inlet Centre SkyTrain stations follow separate provincial rules, and a registered building scheme takes precedence over SSMUH. A building scheme is a legal agreement on a property title, often from the 1950s or 1960s, that can limit building size, style or the number of homes. The City will process an application on such a lot only after a court order discharges the scheme. In the small-lot zone RS1-S, a subdivision requires a title agreement that limits each lot to 3 homes (City guide, July 4, 2025).

The same page allows a laneway house, coach house or other small separate home when it meets the SSMUH-RS1 zoning requirements. The City's guide (July 4, 2025) shows a 3-home example on a 557 m² lot: a house with a secondary suite, plus a laneway house. The City's Secondary Suites page (read September 25, 2026) says Port Moody has allowed secondary suites in single detached zones since 2004 and in its duplex zone since 2018.

The City's page and guide date from July 2025. The Province required bylaw updates under Bill 25 by June 30, 2026, and no City page opened on September 25, 2026 says whether these limits changed, so confirm the current limits with City planning before you design.

The City's Official Community Plan, its long-term land-use plan, was adopted on April 28, 2026 and covers 15 neighbourhoods. Pleasantside and April Road have mostly single detached homes, with a few townhouse projects along Ioco Road. Ioco Road carries traffic to and from Belcarra and Anmore, so the plan keeps development there at low density until another access route to those areas exists.

Moody Centre is the neighbourhood the plan calls the city's most varied in land use. It holds a heritage conservation area, light industry on Murray Street and Spring Street, and a residential area south of St. Johns Street that the City will study further before writing a neighbourhood plan.

Two parts of Moody Centre are large-site planning areas. In the Transit-Oriented Area Core around Moody Centre Station, the plan considers towers of up to 39 storeys on some parcels north of Spring Street. The Oceanfront District, the former Mill and Timber sawmill site, has a site-wide maximum of 3,397 homes and 38 storeys, with at least 5,110 m² of floor area for homes built to be rented.

Port Moody also has hillside rules (Official Community Plan Appendix 2, April 28, 2026). Development Permit Area 5 covers hazardous lands and steep slopes, and the plan defines a steep slope as natural ground at 20% (11 degrees) or steeper for at least 10 m horizontally. The plan names the Harbour Heights escarpment as a place at risk of erosion and land slippage. Inside the area, the City requires a geotechnical report (a study of soil and slope stability by a professional engineer or geoscientist) for every subdivision, new main building and development permit, with a few exceptions. Approval requires an agreement registered on your title, and clearing and earthwork may start only after the City approves the plans.

Costar Construction lists Port Moody among its serviced areas. According to the 2024 winners list of the Canadian Home Builders' Association of British Columbia, Costar Construction won the Georgie Award for Best Multiplex Home for its project It Takes Two. Costar's website describes these services:

As of September 25, 2026, the City says most new development needs City review before construction. Depending on the project, the City may require a development permit, a change to the lot's zoning, a split of the lot or a heritage permit before the building permit. Owners in the Moody Centre or Ioco Townsite heritage conservation areas may need a heritage alteration permit.

A development permit is the City's approval of a project's design and site conditions. The City lists six development permit areas, and which ones apply depends on your address. SSMUH projects need one, which reviews building design and neighbourhood fit, before the building permit, and City staff can approve it. For a complete submission on an uncomplicated site, the City's guide (July 4, 2025) says to expect first comments in 4 to 6 weeks on a development permit and 8 weeks on a building permit. Timelines vary with each application.

The City's building page (read September 25, 2026) says you apply for a building permit online through the Port Moody eServices portal, and every application needs a waste management plan. Retaining walls over 1.2 m (4 ft.) high need a permit, and demolition needs a separate deconstruction permit.

Council adopted an Amenity Cost Charge bylaw on July 28, 2026. It is a one-time fee on new development that helps pay for community facilities, paid at building permit approval for multi-unit projects of up to 6 homes.

Costar offers a complimentary one-hour project consultation at your property or at its Vancouver office, 104 - 338 W 8th Ave. Book it on the booking page of Costar's website, or use the contact page. The website describes five stages, and the first four are Design and Planning, Pre-construction, Construction and Handover.