They all require a Development Permit, Building Permit and a Rental Accommodation business licence.
Congregate living refers to a residence where 4 or more individuals occupy sleeping units in a building with shared access to cooking, laundry or sanitary facilities. Generally, the landlord rents rooms directly to each individual living at the residence.
About the Service
Congregate living refers to a residence where 4 or more individuals occupy sleeping units in a building with shared access to cooking, laundry or sanitary facilities.
These facilities include Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Lodging Houses and Fraternity and Sorority houses.
These facilities are now recognized as commercial businesses operating in residential zones. Owner/operators are required to obtain a City of Edmonton Rental Accommodation business licence.
The Development Compliance Team is available to help answer any questions.
How Do I Obtain the Service?
If you currently own or operate a building in which 4 or more individuals occupy sleeping units and share access to cooking, laundry or sanitary facilities, then you require a development permit, building permit, and rental accommodation business licence. This applies to Lodging Houses, Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Fraternity and Sorority Housing.
Note: Fraternity and Sorority Housing are exempt from the business licence bylaw but still require Development & Building Permits.
Applications may be submitted online at:
https://selfserve.edmonton.ca/
For "Change of Use" conversions, such as converting a Single-detached house to a Lodging House, the following documents must be included with your application:
- Site plan
- Floor plans
- Congregate Living Facility information form
- Other information as requested by the Development Officer
More information on application submission requirements can be found at: Application Requirements for Alterations and/or Change of Use
Fees
- New Construction Fee (Group Homes, Limited Group Homes) OR Changing the Use of an existing Building (Permitted Uses, Discretionary Use)
- Notification Fee (Required when you are proposing a Discretionary Use or you need a variance in the regulations.)
- Sanitary Trunk Sewer Charge
- Building Permit Fees are calculated based on the cost of construction, type of permit required, and Safety Code Fees. Additional permits may be required such as Plumbing & Gas, Electrical and/or HVAC. Fees for these permits can be included with the commercial building permit fees.
- Business Licence Fee for Residential Rental Accommodation (Long-Term) - 1 year or 2 year licences are available
- Discounted renewal fee as long as the licence is renewed on, or before it expires (regular fee applied to late renewals)
- New Business Licence Approval — High and Maximum Risk (High Risk Fire Rescue Inspection Fee)
FAQ
What do I need to operate a Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Lodging House, or Fraternity and Sorority Houses?
What other regulations apply to these types of housing facilities?
These types of accommodations will not be approved on sites that already support Major Home-Based Businesses, Secondary Suites or Garden Suites.
Operators of Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Lodging Houses, and Fraternity and Sorority Houses need to comply with the . Failure to do so can result in fines, licence suspensions and licence revocations.
What is the process to obtain a Development Permit, Building Permit, and a Business Licence?
The following processes must be completed to obtain the required permit:
- Pre-application meeting with Safety Codes Officer and Development Officer (only recommended for complex applications)
- Development permit application
- Building permit application
- Rental Accommodation business licence application
If I already have a development permit, will I require a new one?
As long as you have a development permit for a Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Lodging House, or Fraternity and Sorority House that matched your operation at the time it was issued and your operation has not changed since then, you will not be required to obtain a new development permit.
How do I know if I have a valid development permit?
To find out if you have a valid development permit, you can do a Search of Records.
If I already have a building permit, will I require a new one?
As long as you have a building permit for a Supportive Housing, Limited Supportive Housing, Lodging House, or Fraternity and Sorority House that matched your operation at the time it was issued and your operation has not changed since then, you will not be required to obtain a new building permit.
If I don’t have a business licence, will I need to apply for one?
Yes, you will need to obtain a Rental Accommodations Business Licence. The licence has to be renewed annually. The Business Licensing Department must be notified if there are any changes to the operation such as contact information, business name or a change in partnership.
If an entirely new operator takes over, they must apply for a new business licence.
What happens if I don’t obtain the required permits and licence?
If you are operating without the required permits and licence you will be subject to enforcement actions such as a violation notice, fines, stop order, court injunction and any remedial actions necessary, including being forced to shut down the operation.
In which zones are Limited Group Homes, Group Homes, Lodging Houses, and Fraternity and Sorority Houses allowed?
The zoning matrix shows where these housing facilities are considered permitted or discretionary uses, and in which zones they are not permitted.
How many residents are allowed in congregate living facilities?
The maximum number of residents in Limited Supportive Housing is 6. The Development Officer can restrict the number of residents to less than the maximum where a lesser number is warranted.
In zones where Supportive Housing and Lodging Houses are Discretionary Uses, the maximum number of residents is 6. In zones where they are a Permitted Use, more than 6 residents may be approved.
You can determine the Zoning of your property by visiting maps.edmonton.ca.