Multiplex guide
Building a Multiplex on Your Metro Vancouver Lot
If you own a single-family lot in Metro Vancouver, BC law now lets you build more than one home on it in most cases. A multiplex is a small group of homes on one lot, each with its own door to the outside. In this guide we walk you through what Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and Richmond allow, the steps from first idea to move-in, what changes the cost, and how ownership works once the homes are built.
Every rule below comes from a city, provincial or industry page that we opened on October 1, 2026, and each one is listed in the sources at the end. Cities change these rules often, so confirm your own lot with the city before you pay for design.
What Is a Multiplex?
The City of Vancouver defines a multiplex as 3 to 8 homes in one or more buildings on a single site, where each home has its own door to the outside (City of Vancouver, Shape Your City). It sits between a single house and an apartment building. On many lots that means a front building and a rear building, which is how Burnaby's rules are written.
The rules come from two levels of government. The Province's small-scale multi-unit housing law sets the minimum number of homes a city must allow on lots that used to be zoned for one house or a duplex. On those lots a city must allow at least 3 homes on a lot of 280 m² or less, at least 4 on a larger lot, and 6 on a larger lot near a bus stop with a bus every 15 minutes on average from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends (Province of BC, page updated January 20, 2026). Each city then writes its own zoning bylaw, which sets height, size, parking and permit steps. Those details differ from city to city.
A multiplex suits a family that wants grandparents, parents and grown children on one lot, each with a front door of their own. It also suits an owner who wants to keep one home and rent or sell the others. To compare a multiplex with a laneway home or a suite inside the house, read our guide to multiplex, laneway home and legal suite. Our post on duplex, triplex and fourplex compares the three formats by unit count, rental income risk, zoning eligibility and cost.
What Vancouver's R1-1 Zone Allows
Vancouver Council approved its multiplex rules at a public hearing on September 14, 2023, and the new R1-1 (Residential Inclusive) zone took effect on October 17, 2023 (Shape Your City). Under R1-1 you can build 3 to 8 homes on one site, each with its own outside door. For the provincial law behind these rules, read our post on the BC small-scale multi-unit housing law.
The top of that range is for rental homes. The Province's policy manual says Vancouver's zoning allows up to eight units of secure rental housing on larger lots that used to hold one house (Provincial Policy Manual). If you plan to sell the homes, ask the City how many your lot allows for ownership.
Some lots are left out. The City says sites in its Designated Floodplain, the land it maps as at risk of flooding, do not qualify for a multiplex. The City also expects more public input on its multiplex rules from fall 2026 into early 2027, with a staff report to Council in early 2027 (Shape Your City, page updated September 29, 2026). Rules for your lot can change while you plan, so check again before you apply.
To check your own lot:
- Look up the zone on the City's zoning map.
- Read the City's R1-1 How-to Guide and Multiplex Application Checklist, both linked from this City page.
- Send questions on eligibility, R1-1 rules and the application to the City's Development and Building Services Centre.
- Read our Vancouver area page and our guide to multiplex zoning and permits in Vancouver for more detail.
Burnaby, New Westminster and Richmond in Brief
Burnaby. Since July 1, 2026, Burnaby's rules are in Zoning Bylaw 2026 (Bylaw No. 14815), which Council adopted on June 9, 2026 (City of Burnaby). Its R1 zone allows 3 homes on a lot up to 280 m², 4 on a larger lot, and 6 on a lot of at least 281 m² within a Frequent Transit Network Area, the land near frequent bus service. Secondary suites count toward the total (R1 summary, July 2026). A lot with 4 to 6 homes must include at least 2 homes with 3 or more bedrooms (Zoning Bylaw 2026). A front building with 3 to 6 homes may be 3 storeys and 10 m high, after Council cut the limit from 4 storeys on October 16, 2025 (City of Burnaby news). More in our Burnaby multiplex guide and our Burnaby area page.
New Westminster. The City adopted its Infill Housing Program in June 2026. Lots zoned RGO-A allow up to 4 homes and lots zoned RGO-B allow up to 6, suites included, and the City says most infill projects need no rezoning (City of New Westminster). The City says its water and sewer pipes were designed for up to 3 homes per lot, so a project with more than 3 homes pays for the upgrades it needs. Building size rises with the number of homes: the floor area may be 0.8 times the lot area for 4 homes and 1.0 times for 5 or 6 (Zoning Bylaw 6680, version of June 8, 2026). More in our New Westminster multiplex guide and our New Westminster area page.
Richmond. Council rezoned single-family and duplex lots on June 24, 2024 (City of Richmond). In the RSM zone a lot may hold 3 homes at 280.0 m² or less and 4 on a larger lot. A lot over 281.0 m² within 400.0 m of a prescribed bus stop may hold 6, if the owner pays into the City's affordable housing reserve or provides at least one affordable rental home (Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 8.19). Buildings may be 2.5 storeys and 10.0 m high, or 7.5 m with a flat roof. Part of Steveston has until December 30, 2030, while the City replaces sewers there. More on our Richmond area page.
The Steps From First Idea to Move-In
Each city names its steps in its own way. Burnaby's New Home Construction page lists six phases, and the stages below follow that order (City of Burnaby). Here is what each stage means for you.
- Check the Lot. Look up the zone, the number of homes allowed, and anything on the title or the land that limits building, such as a stream, a floodplain or protected trees. Our multiplex check tool gives a first look at a Metro Vancouver address.
- Design and Plan. Choose the number of homes, the bedroom mix and the building layout to fit the city's rules. In Burnaby, at least 2 homes on a 4 to 6 home lot need 3 or more bedrooms, so plan bedrooms on day one.
- Engineering and Early Approvals. Burnaby asks for an engineering pre-application before the building permit, with a typical review time of 15 business days for a complete submission. New Westminster asks for a Development Permit (a city review of the building design and landscaping) and a Tree Permit before the Building Permit (Infill Housing Guide, approved June 9, 2026).
- Building Permit. The city checks the drawings against the BC Building Code and collects its charges. Burnaby takes every residential application online through its My Permits Portal.
- Construction and Inspections. The old house comes down, then foundations, framing, services and finishes go in, with city inspections at set points. REW's guide for homeowners says to expect a year to 18 months after permits before a new multiplex is ready to move into (REW).
- Occupancy. After the final inspection the city issues an occupancy certificate, and people can move in.
What Drives the Cost
We price a multiplex only after we have seen your lot, because each lot is different. These are the things that move the budget up or down.
The lot itself comes first. A sloped site or soft soil needs more digging and stronger foundations than a flat, firm one. A lot near a stream, on a floodplain or with large trees can add reports, permits and design limits before any building starts.
City charges come next. Burnaby collects one-time Development Cost Charges and Amenity Cost Charges when the building permit is issued, with a credit for homes that are demolished (City of Burnaby). New Westminster lists Development Cost Charges, Amenity Cost Charges, Metro Vancouver water and sewer charges, TransLink charges and School Site Acquisition Charges, plus permit and engineering fees (Infill Housing Guide). Take every rate from the city's current page when you set a budget.
Pipes and wires matter too. In New Westminster, a project with more than 3 homes pays for the water and sewer upgrades it needs. The number of homes, the number of kitchens and bathrooms, the finishes you choose and the design team also change the total. New Westminster requires a registered architect for buildings of 600 m² or more, or with 5 or more homes.
For how a multiplex budget is built up line by line, read our multiplex cost guide.
Living In It, Renting It or Selling It
Once the homes are built, you choose how to hold them. You can keep them all on one title and rent them out, live in one and rent the rest, or divide them into strata lots. Strata title means each home gets its own title and can be sold on its own, while the owners share the costs of the common parts such as the roof and the yard.
Burnaby says R1 lots with 2 or more primary homes can be stratified. A secondary suite stays on the same title as the home it sits inside, so it cannot be sold on its own (City of Burnaby). New Westminster's guide says homes in one infill project may be stratified and sold to separate owners, except suites (Infill Housing Guide).
Plan ownership early, because a building with several owners needs a strata plan and its own legal work. REW's homeowner guide recommends that every resident pays monthly strata fees, so repairs such as a new roof or siding are paid from a shared fund (REW). Talk to your own lawyer, accountant and lender about your case before the design is final.
How Costar Runs a Multiplex Build
Costar Construction Inc. is registered in British Columbia (BC Registry number BC1232230) and is a member of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN). Costar's project It Takes Two won Best Multiplex Home at the 2024 Georgie Awards, according to the winners list of the Canadian Home Builders' Association of BC, which names Design Work Group Ltd. as the associate company (CHBA BC).
Our project gallery lists two multiplexes in Vancouver, each with pre-design, permit and construction management in its scope: Quintet Townhomes, a 5-plex at 2240 E 40th Ave, and We Killarney Townhomes, a 6-plex at 2333 E 54th Ave.
REW profiled Costar on July 30, 2026, in an article by Zak Khan (REW). REW reported that the team thinks about details such as a bedroom on the main floor, so that grandparents can live with the family without climbing stairs, and keeping loud appliances like washing machines off the walls that two homes share. REW also named a buyer set to move into Costar's WEKillarney multiplex.
Read more about what we offer on our multiplex service page. Before you sign a contract, ask your Costar consultant to confirm in writing which licences, insurance and home warranty programme apply to your project.
Where to Start
Start with your address. Our multiplex check tool gives you a first reading for a Metro Vancouver lot, and the city pages for Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and Richmond set out each city's local rules.
Then bring your lot to us. We offer a one-hour project consultation at your property or at our Vancouver office, and we will go through what your lot allows and what to check next. Book a Consultation.
As seen on REW
One lot, a multigenerational multiplex.
Louis Nguyen of Costar shows how one lot becomes a multiplex where several generations of a family can live together.
Read Costar Construction: a family building family homes. by Zak Khan (July 30, 2026). It covers details like a main-floor bedroom so grandparents can skip the stairs, and keeping washing machines off the walls two homes share.
Louis Nguyen, Costar's Director of Sales, explains in 5 minutes 40 seconds what a multiplex is: three to six homes on one lot. He walks through the We Killarney six-plex, which puts a one-bedroom home with no stairs on the ground floor for a parent or grandparent. He also describes how a homeowner and Costar can share a project as partners, why Costar picks materials that are easy to maintain, and the 2024 Georgie Award.
Jump to a part of the video
Questions about building a multiplex
How many homes can I build on my Vancouver lot?
Vancouver's R1-1 zone allows a multiplex of 3 to 8 homes on one site, each with its own outside door, according to the City's Shape Your City page (updated September 29, 2026). The Province's policy manual says Vancouver's zoning allows the full eight units as secure rental housing. Sites in the City's Designated Floodplain do not qualify. Check your zone on the City's zoning map and ask the Development and Building Services Centre what your lot allows.
What is the provincial minimum number of homes on a single-family lot in BC?
The Province's small-scale multi-unit housing rules require cities to allow at least 3 homes on a lot of 280 m² or less and at least 4 on a larger lot. On a larger lot near a bus stop with a bus every 15 minutes on average during set daytime hours, a city must allow 6. Cities had to update their bylaws for the 2025 changes by June 30, 2026, according to the Province's page updated January 20, 2026.
Can I build a sixplex in Burnaby?
Yes, if your lot is at least 281 m² and sits in a Frequent Transit Network Area, the land near frequent bus service, under Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, in effect since July 1, 2026. Secondary suites count toward the 6 homes. A lot with 4 to 6 homes must include at least 2 homes with 3 or more bedrooms. Turn on the Frequent Transit Network Areas layer in BurnabyMap, the City's online map, to check your lot.
How tall can a multiplex be in Burnaby?
A front building with 3 to 6 homes on a Burnaby R1 lot may be 3 storeys and 10 metres high, and a basement or cellar counts as one of those storeys, according to the City's July 2026 R1 summary. A rear building is limited to 2 storeys. Council reduced the earlier limit of 4 storeys on October 16, 2025, and also cut the floor area a project can reach by 33 to 60 percent, depending on the housing type, unit count and lot size.
How many homes do New Westminster's RGO zones allow?
New Westminster adopted its Infill Housing Program in June 2026. Lots zoned RGO-A allow up to 4 homes and lots zoned RGO-B allow up to 6, and secondary suites count toward the total. The City says most infill projects need no rezoning. At most two homes may stack on top of each other. An infill project needs a Development Permit, a Building Permit and a Tree Permit, according to the City's Infill Housing Guide approved June 9, 2026.
Who pays for sewer and water upgrades for a New Westminster multiplex?
The City of New Westminster says its pipes were designed for the earlier limit of up to 3 homes per lot. A project with more than 3 homes, built before the City finishes its own upgrades, pays for all the infrastructure upgrades it needs. Before the Building Permit is issued, you sign a Works and Services Agreement for work outside your lot and provide a security deposit. Ask a civil engineer to price this before you commit to a design.
What does Richmond require for a six-home project?
Richmond's RSM zone allows 6 homes on a lot over 281.0 m² within 400.0 m of a prescribed bus stop. For six homes, the owner must either pay into the City's affordable housing reserve or provide at least one affordable housing unit with a housing agreement on title. That unit's rent is capped at 10 percent below the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation average market rent for Richmond, under Zoning Bylaw 8500 as amended June 8, 2026.
How long does it take to build a multiplex?
Two stages set the timeline: permits, then construction. Permit time depends on the city and on your lot. Burnaby gives 15 business days as the typical review of a complete engineering pre-application, before the building permit stage starts. For construction, REW's December 15, 2025 guide for homeowners says to expect a year to 18 months after permits before a new multiplex is ready to move into. Ask your city and your builder for a schedule for your lot.
Can I sell the homes in my multiplex separately?
In many cases, yes, through strata title, which gives each home its own title. Burnaby says R1 lots with 2 or more primary homes can be stratified, and New Westminster's Infill Housing Guide says homes in one infill project may be sold to separate owners. In both cities a secondary suite cannot be sold on its own. Speak to your own lawyer about strata before the design is final.
What city charges come with a multiplex?
Each city sets its own charges. Burnaby collects one-time Development Cost Charges and Amenity Cost Charges when the building permit is issued, with a credit for homes that are demolished. New Westminster lists Development Cost Charges, Amenity Cost Charges, Metro Vancouver water and sewer charges, TransLink charges, School Site Acquisition Charges, and permit and engineering fees. Rates change, so take them from the city's current page when you set your budget.
Has Costar built multiplexes?
Yes. Costar's project It Takes Two won Best Multiplex Home at the 2024 Georgie Awards, according to the winners list of the Canadian Home Builders' Association of BC. Costar's project gallery lists two multiplexes in Vancouver: Quintet Townhomes, a 5-plex at 2240 E 40th Ave, and We Killarney Townhomes, a 6-plex at 2333 E 54th Ave, each with pre-design, permit and construction management in its scope.
How do I find out what my own lot allows?
Start with the city's own map: Vancouver's zoning map at maps.vancouver.ca/zoning, or BurnabyMap in Burnaby, which shows the maximum number of homes for each lot. In New Westminster and Richmond, ask the City's planning staff. Costar's multiplex check tool gives a first reading for a Metro Vancouver address. Then confirm with the city before you pay for design, because rules change. You can also book a one-hour consultation with Costar at your property or at its Vancouver office.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page comes from the pages below, checked on October 1, 2026.
- Small-scale, multi-unit housingProvince of British Columbia. Checked 2026-10-01. Minimums of 3 units on lots of 280 m² or less, 4 on larger lots and 6 near frequent bus service, the 15-minute bus frequency hours, and the June 30, 2026 bylaw deadline for the 2025 changes (page updated January 20, 2026).
- Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing Provincial Policy Manual & Site StandardsProvince of British Columbia. Checked 2026-10-01. Vancouver's zoning allows up to eight units of secure rental housing on larger lots that used to hold one house.
- Adding missing middle housing and simplifying regulations in low density neighbourhoodsCity of Vancouver (Shape Your City). Checked 2026-10-01. Multiplex definition (3 to 8 units, own exterior entrance), approval on September 14, 2023, R1-1 in effect October 17, 2023, floodplain exclusion, engagement from fall 2026 into early 2027 and a report to Council in early 2027 (page updated September 29, 2026).
- Nov 2023: R1-1 Documents and Application Materials AvailableCity of Vancouver (Shape Your City). Checked 2026-10-01. The zoning map at maps.vancouver.ca/zoning, the R1-1 How-to Guide and Multiplex Application Checklist, and the Development and Building Services Centre as the contact for eligibility and application questions.
- Zoning Bylaw RewriteCity of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. Zoning Bylaw 2026 adopted June 9, 2026 and in effect July 1, 2026, the frequent transit definition, and stratification of R1 lots with 2 or more primary homes, with suites kept on the same title.
- Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Bylaw No. 14815 (consolidated, without schedules)City of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. In force July 1, 2026; lots with 4 to 6 dwelling units must provide at least 2 units with 3 or more bedrooms.
- R1 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing District: Summary of Zoning Regulations (July 2026)City of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. Unit counts of 3, 4 and 6 by lot area and transit area, suites counting toward the total, front building height of 10 m and 3 storeys for 3 to 6 units including a basement or cellar storey, and rear buildings of 2 storeys.
- City Council cuts height and size of new Province-mandated developmentsCity of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. October 16, 2025 changes: height cut from 4 storeys to 3 storeys (10 metres), rear buildings at 2 storeys, floor area cut by 33 to 60 percent.
- New Home ConstructionCity of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. Six phases from planning to occupancy, engineering pre-application with a typical 15 business day review, online applications through My Permits Portal, and the Development Permit notice effective July 1, 2026.
- Development Cost Charges and Amenity Cost Charges for Small-Scale Multi-Unit HousingCity of Burnaby. Checked 2026-10-01. One-time charges paid when a building permit is issued, with credit for demolished buildings.
- Infill Housing ProgramCity of New Westminster. Checked 2026-10-01. Program adopted June 2026, RGO-A up to 4 units and RGO-B up to 6, suites counted, stacking limit of two units, and pipes designed for up to three units with projects above three paying for upgrades.
- Guide: Infill Housing Program (approved June 9, 2026)City of New Westminster. Checked 2026-10-01. Development, Building and Tree Permits, stratification except suites, registered architect for 600 m² or 5 or more units, the Works and Services Agreement, and the list of growth charges and fees.
- Zoning Bylaw 6680, sections 401 (RGO-A) and 402 (RGO-B), version dated 2026 06 08City of New Westminster. Checked 2026-10-01. Floor space ratio of 0.8 for 4 homes and 1.0 for 5 or 6 homes.
- Provincial Housing Legislation ChangesCity of Richmond. Checked 2026-10-01. Rezoning by Council on June 24, 2024, and the Steveston extension to December 30, 2030 for sewer replacement.
- Zoning Bylaw 8500, Section 8.19 Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (RSM)City of Richmond. Checked 2026-10-01. 3 and 4 units by lot area, 6 units near a prescribed bus stop with the affordable housing condition and rent at 10 percent below CMHC average market rent, and height of 2.5 storeys and 10.0 m or 7.5 m with a flat roof, as amended by Bylaw 10760 on June 8, 2026.
- 2024 Georgie Award Winners (news release, May 27, 2024)Canadian Home Builders' Association of British Columbia (CHBA BC). Checked 2026-10-01. Best Multiplex Home: It Takes Two, Costar Construction Inc, associate company Design Work Group Ltd.
- OrgBook BC search: Costar Construction Inc.Province of British Columbia (BC Registries, OrgBook BC). Checked 2026-10-01. Costar Construction Inc. is registered as BC1232230 with active status.
- Costar Construction Ltd. member listingHomebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN). Checked 2026-10-01. Costar is listed in HAVAN's member directory.
- Costar Construction: a family building family homes.REW. Checked 2026-10-01. REW's report by Zak Khan, July 30, 2026, on Costar's design details (main-floor bedroom for grandparents, loud appliances kept off shared walls) and a buyer set to move into the WEKillarney multiplex.
- Building your own multiplex: a guide for current single-family homeownersREW. Checked 2026-10-01. REW's December 15, 2025 statements that a multiplex takes a year to 18 months after permits to be ready to move into, and that residents should share costs through monthly strata fees.
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