Secondary and Basement Suites in Steinbach: What the City Allows

A basement or secondary suite can turn a house into two homes and make a mortgage easier to carry. In Steinbach it can also go wrong quietly: a suite that was never permitted, an alarm system that does not meet the standard, or a lot where the zoning does not allow it. This guide sticks to what the City's own documents say, with section numbers so you can check them yourself.

One note first. The City adopted a new Zoning By-law, No. 2245, in January 2026, and it replaced the earlier Zoning By-law No. 2100. A later by-law, No. 2275 (June 2026), may amend it, so confirm the current version with the Planning and Zoning Department. Some City handouts still show the older by-law number and zone names, so use the section numbers below.

What counts as a secondary suite

The Zoning By-law defines a secondary suite as a self-contained accessory dwelling unit with its own separate access, cooking, sleeping and sanitary facilities, none of them shared with the main home (section 10.2.1). An attached suite sits inside the home or is added onto it, such as a basement suite. A detached suite is separate from the home, or above a garage or shed.

Which zones allow them (Table 10-1, Use Table)

• Attached suites are permitted, subject to the section 8.32 standards, in the RSU, RLD, RMD, RHD, R-MX, RR, RR-S and C1 districts.
• Detached suites are a conditional use, which means a conditional use approval is needed, in the DR-1, DR-2, RR and RR-S districts. DR-1 and DR-2 are Development Reserve districts and RR and RR-S are Rural Residential districts, so a detached suite is not an option on a typical in-town lot.

Find your lot's zone on the City's zoning maps, which are part of the by-law. If you are unsure, the Planning and Zoning Department is at 204-346-6515.

The conditions in section 8.32

• 8.32.1: the suite must comply with the National Building Code and Manitoba amendments.
• 8.32.2: no more than one secondary suite on a lot.
• 8.32.3: a suite is permitted only as an accessory to a single-unit dwelling. So a duplex or multi-unit building does not qualify.
• 8.32.4: at least one on-site parking space in addition to the parking required for the home. Tandem parking, one space behind another, is allowed for suites (section 7.11.2(c)).
• 8.32.5: a manufactured home cannot be used as a secondary suite.
• 8.32.6 (attached suites): floor area may not exceed 40% of the total habitable floor space of the main dwelling, or 800 ft² (74.3 m²) including any finished basement space, whichever is less.
• 8.32.7 (detached suites): the main dwelling must be owner-occupied; the suite is capped at 800 ft²; minimum yards are 10 ft rear, 5 ft side and 10 ft corner side; it must sit at least 10 ft from the home; and it cannot have a basement.

Section 8.32 does not set an owner-occupancy rule for attached suites, only for detached ones.

Permits and the Manitoba Building Code

The Building By-Law (No. 2105) says a permit is required for work the Code regulates, including the alteration or conversion of a building (sections 10.1 and 10.2). It also says nobody may occupy a building or part of it without an occupancy permit (section 2.4), and the owner needs one before occupancy after an alteration or a change in major occupancy (section 3.16). Plumbing work needs a permit through a licensed plumber (section 10.4), and electrical permits follow the Manitoba Electrical Code (section 10.6). The City says the homeowner is responsible for complying with the Manitoba Building Code and that penalties apply for non-compliance. It also says to tell your insurer and your mortgage holder.

Separately, the Dwelling Safety Standards By-Law (No. 2157) applies to all homes and secondary suites in Steinbach regardless of when they were built, and the City says the Manitoba Building Code also applies to homes and suites built or developed after 1 January 2011.

Safety basics the City lists

These come from the City's secondary suites building handout (file dated November 2023), which cites the Code sections:

• Alarms: smoke alarms in each dwelling unit, at least one on each storey including basements, and in each sleeping room and between the bedrooms and the rest of the storey. Smoke alarms, CO alarms and heat detectors must be hard-wired and interconnected, so that one sounds them all, suite included. By-law 2157 is looser for existing homes (hard-wired or ten-year lithium battery smoke alarms), so ask the City which standard applies to your suite.
• CO alarms: where there is a fuel-burning appliance or an attached garage, inside each bedroom or within 5 m of each bedroom door.
• Egress: each bedroom needs a window or exterior door that opens from the inside without keys, tools or special knowledge. The window needs an unobstructed opening of at least 0.35 m² (3.76 sq ft) with no dimension under 380 mm (15 in). A window well needs 760 mm (30 in) of clearance in front.
• Fire separation: walls and floor-ceiling framing separating the suite need a continuous smoke-tight barrier of at least 12.7 mm (1/2 in) gypsum board on both sides of walls and the underside of the floor framing. An attached garage must be separated from the home with at least a 45-minute fire-resistance rating.
• Other items: sound control between units, separate air ducts for each unit, minimum stair widths, clear heights and handrails.

Separately, By-law 2157 puts duties on the owner: test the alarms yearly and at each new tenancy, demonstrate them to the tenant, keep records, and replace a faulty alarm within 24 hours.

The handout also states a floor-area limit taken from the National Building Code, the lesser of 80% of the other unit's floor area or 80 m² (861 sq ft). That is a different test from section 8.32.6, so check both with the City.

How a local manager helps

Once a suite is legal and ready, Nate's Pro can take over the rental side. That means advertising and showings, tenant screening, lease preparation and signing, rent deposit setup and rent collection, plus owner reporting, maintenance through trusted contractors, advice on tenant situations and help with Residential Tenancies Branch processes. Nate's Pro does not handle permits or construction; those go through the City and your contractor. Our full property management page lays out the service, and our guide to screening tenants in Manitoba covers what good screening looks like.

Secondary suite checklist

• Confirm your lot's zone and that the home is a single-unit dwelling
• Confirm one extra on-site parking space (8.32.4)
• Keep an attached suite within the section 8.32.6 size limit
• Check the NBC floor-area limit from the City handout as well
• Apply for building, plumbing and electrical permits before work starts
• Book inspections and get the occupancy permit before anyone moves in
• Alarms meeting the City's standard (the handout asks for hard-wired, interconnected smoke and CO alarms; ask the City what applies to your suite), plus a heat sensor in an attached garage
• Egress windows at the required size, with window well clearance
• Fire and sound separation completed and inspected
• Insurer and mortgage lender told (keep a record)
• Ask the City about a Dwelling Safety inspection and Certificate of Compliance

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with the City, the Residential Tenancies Branch or a professional, or talk to us about your situation.