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Serving the Municipality of Callander (Parry Sound District)
Modular Homes in Callander, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for the Municipality of Callander — the Lake Nipissing community just south of North Bay, in Parry Sound District. Callander's Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2014-1407 (§2.2) permits an accessory dwelling unit as-of-right — including a detached suite in your backyard — in the residential, estate and rural zones. Here's what the by-law allows, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Callander
Full modular homes — from $175,696. 29 models from 560 to 1,405 sq ft, 1–3 bedrooms — factory-built to the Ontario Building Code and set on a permanent foundation (a real, permanent house, not a “trailer”).
Backyard suites (ADUs) — from $96,244. 7 compact models built for garden-suite and in-law-suite use, sized to fit what Callander's by-law allows.
All homes are CSA-certified (A277 modular / Z240MH manufactured), finished in the factory, and delivered ready for foundation and hook-up. What's the difference between modular, manufactured, and mobile? →
Find your backyard suite — 3 quick questions
We'll narrow the models that fit a typical Callander backyard allowance to the ones that fit your life. No email needed.
1 · Who's it for?
2 · What layout?
3 · What size feels right? (Callander lots typically allow up to ~1,076 sq ft)
Callander caps a detached suite at the lesser of 50% of your home or 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft), up to 6 m tall, within 30 m of your home. As-of-right in the R1, R3, Estate (RE), Rural Residential (RUR) and Rural (RU) zones — not the Urban Shoreline (R2) or Recreation Residential (RR) zones. And a suite is not permitted on a private-septic lot within 300 m of Callander Bay — enter your address for the specifics. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Callander address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Callander backyard?
Often, yes — Callander permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from Municipality of Callander Zoning By-law 2014-1407, §2.2 — Accessory Dwelling Units (2024 office consolidation):
| Max size | The lesser of 50% of your main dwelling’s gross floor area or 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft). Up to two accessory dwelling units per lot, but a maximum of one may be detached. |
|---|---|
| Max height | 6 m (≈20 ft) for a detached suite (one or two storeys); a balcony is not permitted on a detached suite |
| Setbacks & placement | At least 1.2 m (≈4 ft) from the rear and interior side lot lines, 3.0 m (≈10 ft) from an exterior side lot line. Not in the front yard, and within 30 m (≈98 ft) of the principal dwelling. |
| Where allowed | As-of-right in the R1, R3, Estate (RE), Rural Residential (RUR) and Rural (RU) zones (plus special zones in R1/RE/RUR/RU) — NOT the Urban Shoreline Residential (R2) or Recreation Residential (RR) zones |
| Parking | One additional parking space per suite (no stacked parking) |
| Servicing | Municipal water in the settlement area, or a private well & septic on rural/estate lots (a septic-capacity review is the key step). Key catch: a suite is NOT permitted on a private-septic lot within 300 m of Callander Bay (§2.2 n). |
| Conservation | North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) — a lot near the Lake Nipissing / Callander Bay shoreline, a watercourse, a wetland, or a mapped floodplain needs an NBMCA permit; a suite can’t sit in a flood- or erosion-hazard area |
Getting your building permit in Callander
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Callander's process actually works — verified against the Callander building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Callander?
Through Municipality of Callander Building Department (Chief Building Official) — in-person / mail intake, no online permit portal. There is no online e-permit portal. The Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish, drawings and schedules are submitted in person or by mail to the Building Department at the Municipal Office, 280 Main Street North, Callander (or the satellite office at 26 Main Street North, Unit #9); two complete sets of drawings to scale are required. Chief Building Official: Cameron Karpenko, (705) 752-1410 ext. 307, ckarpenko@callander.ca (Mon/Wed/Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). Callander's building-permit page ↗
- Confirm your lot's zone permits an accessory dwelling unit as-of-right (R1, R3, RE, RUR or RU). If it's zoned Urban Shoreline Residential (R2) or Recreation Residential (RR), an ADU needs a rezoning first — a Temporary Use By-law or a Zoning By-law Amendment.
- Sort out servicing: on a rural lot, obtain an on-site sewage (OBC Part 8) septic permit / capacity confirmation from the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) for the added unit — and note a suite is NOT permitted on a private-septic lot within 300 m of Callander Bay; on a serviced lot, arrange the water connection.
- Have a qualified (BCIN) designer prepare the drawings — site/lot-grading plan, floor, foundation, framing, roof and elevation drawings, plus structural, HVAC and plumbing drawings.
- Submit the provincial Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish + Schedule 1 (Designer Information) + the Applicable Law checklist + two complete drawing sets to the Building Department.
- Pay the building-permit fee ($8.40 per $1,000 of construction value, minimum $120 — Building By-law 2008-1082 Schedule A) plus any water-connection or entrance-permit fees.
- The Chief Building Official reviews the application (Ontario's Building Code sets a 10-business-day window for a complete house-class permit) and issues the permit; build with the required inspections and file the Notice of Completion at the end.
What does a Callander ADU permit application need?
- Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish (provincial standard form) + Schedule 1: Designer Information
- Site plan and lot grading plan
- Floor plans, foundation plans, framing/roof plans and building elevations
- Structural, HVAC (heating/ventilation) and plumbing drawings
- Applicable Law checklist (Building By-law 2008-1082 Schedule D) — including the Conservation Authorities Act (NBMCA) and the Development Charges Act
- Rural lot: on-site sewage system (septic) design + the NBMCA septic permit for the added unit
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Callander?
The building permit fee is $8.40 per $1,000 of construction value (minimum $120), per Building By-law 2008-1082 Schedule A — so a detached suite with, say, a $180,000–$250,000 construction value runs roughly $1,500–$2,100. Ancillary costs (from Callander's 2024 User Fee By-law 2019-1636, all excluding HST): about $50 for a water turn-on on a serviced lot, and — only if a new driveway entrance is needed — about $200 plus a $500 refundable deposit. A rural lot also needs an NBMCA septic (OBC Part 8) permit at NBMCA's fee, and an R2/RR lot needs a rezoning first (roughly $600–$1,200). These are estimates — confirm the current amounts with the Building Department.
| Building permit fee | $8.40 per $1,000 of construction value, minimum $120 (Building By-law 2008-1082 Schedule A). A ~$200,000 suite ≈ $1,680. |
|---|---|
| Building record search / reinspection | $100 each; special inspection $150 (Building By-law 2008-1082 Schedule A) |
| Water connection (serviced lot) | Water turn-on ~$50; water-meter installation at actual cost (User Fee By-law 2019-1636) |
| Entrance/driveway permit (only if a new entrance is needed) | ~$200 + a $500 refundable deposit — an ADU usually shares the existing driveway, so often N/A |
| Septic permit (rural lot) | OBC Part 8 permit administered by the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) — confirm NBMCA's fee (705-472-1551) |
| Rezoning path (R2/RR or a non-conforming lot only) | Temporary Use By-law ~$600, Minor Variance ~$900, or Zoning By-law Amendment ~$1,200 (each includes the NBMCA review fee) |
Under the Development Charges Act (Bill 23), a qualifying additional residential unit ancillary to your home is generally exempt from municipal development charges — confirm the current treatment with the Municipality.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Callander?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. The Municipality notes residential building-permit reviews are typically completed in about 7 business days (the legislated maximum for a complete house-class application is 10). Allow extra time for the NBMCA septic review on a rural lot and for any rezoning on an R2/RR lot.
Worth knowing before you apply
- Two approvals can come BEFORE the building permit: on a rural lot, an NBMCA on-site sewage (OBC Part 8) septic permit for the added sewage load (North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, 705-472-1551); and if your lot is zoned R2 (Urban Shoreline Residential) or RR (Recreation Residential) — where an ADU isn't as-of-right — a rezoning (Temporary Use By-law ~$600 or Zoning By-law Amendment ~$1,200) first.
- The decisive servicing catch: a suite is NOT permitted on a lot on a private septic system within 300 m of Callander Bay (Zoning By-law 2014-1407 §2.2 n) — check your servicing and distance from the Bay before you budget for a permit.
- No online e-permit portal — applications go to the Building Department at the Municipal Office, 280 Main Street North, Callander (Chief Building Official Cameron Karpenko, (705) 752-1410 ext. 307, ckarpenko@callander.ca), with two complete sets of drawings.
- NBMCA also issues Section 28 development permits for work near the Lake Nipissing / Callander Bay shoreline, watercourses, wetlands or steep slopes — factor this in for a waterfront or near-water lot.
- The permit fee is charged on construction VALUE ($8.40 per $1,000, minimum $120), not floor area — so your designer's cost estimate drives the fee. A qualifying ADU is exempt from development charges under Bill 23.
Fees and timelines are estimates from Callander's published schedules, verified July 10, 2026. Rates and processes change — always confirm current requirements with the building department before you apply.
Grants & financing in Callander
Development-charge relief for additional units — Under the Development Charges Act (Bill 23), a qualifying additional residential unit ancillary to your home is generally exempt from municipal development charges — confirm the current treatment with the Municipality for your project.
See every program → Ontario ADU Grants Directory
A modular or prefab home on a permanent foundation is financed like any house. CMHC Prefab Plus allows an insured mortgage with as little as 5% down on the first $500,000, with construction funds released in stages. How modular home financing works →
Thinking of the suite as a rental? Run the numbers →
Callander modular homes — FAQ
Can you build a garden suite / ADU in Callander?
Yes. Callander’s Zoning By-law 2014-1407 (§2.2) permits an accessory dwelling unit as-of-right — inside the house or in a detached accessory building (a backyard suite) — in the R1, R3, Estate (RE), Rural Residential (RUR) and Rural (RU) zones. It’s capped at the lesser of 50% of your home or 100 m², needs one added parking space, and requires a building permit. It is not an as-of-right use in the Urban Shoreline Residential (R2) or Recreation Residential (RR) zones.
How big can a backyard suite be in Callander?
The lesser of 50% of your main dwelling’s gross floor area or 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft), up to 6 m tall, within 30 m of your home and not in the front yard. A maximum of one detached suite is allowed per lot (up to two accessory dwelling units total). Enter your address for the specifics.
Can you build an ADU on well and septic in Callander?
Usually yes, with a septic-capacity review under the Ontario Building Code — but there’s an important exception: an accessory dwelling unit is NOT permitted on a lot on a private septic system within 300 m of Callander Bay (§2.2 n). Since many Lake Nipissing shoreline lots are on private septic, check your servicing and distance from the Bay first. The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA, 705-472-1551) is the septic-permit authority for the area.
Can you put a modular home in Callander, Ontario?
Yes. On land you own, a CSA A277 modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout the Municipality of Callander — as the principal dwelling or as an accessory dwelling unit. The Zoning By-law does not permit a travel trailer, RV, or other recreational vehicle to be used as a detached accessory dwelling unit.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Callander?
Modular home models start at $175,696 and run to about $338,000 for the largest layouts; backyard ADU models start at $96,244. Site work, foundation, delivery, and permits are additional.
Can I get a mortgage on a modular home in Callander?
Yes — on a permanent foundation it is financed as real property, including via CMHC Prefab Plus (5% down on the first $500,000).
Local rules summarized from Municipality of Callander Zoning By-law 2014-1407, §2.2 — Accessory Dwelling Units (2024 office consolidation); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Callander before you build.