Typically, garden suites are single or two-storey structures built in the back yards of single detached homes, semi-detached homes and row houses, and must have their own kitchen, bathroom and living space. They are also known as garage suites, carriage houses, backyard suites or laneway homes.
The Edmonton Zoning Bylaw defines a garden suite as:
An accessory building containing a dwelling, which is located separate from the principal use which is Single Detached Housing, Semi-detached Housing, or Multi-unit Housing in the form of row housing.