Zoning Bylaw Rewrite

A Zoning Bylaw governs what kind of development can occur and how property and land can be used within the city.

The proposed new Zoning Bylaw 2025-37 reflects significant engagement with residents, stakeholders and experts in community planning over the past two years as well as best practices in municipal governance.

The proposed Zoning Bylaw contains many changes from the current bylaw, including:

It has been reorganized and simplified, and the number of different zones and uses has been reduced, resulting in more flexible regulations that are easier to understand and apply.
Changes to the zoning rules that are intended to make it easier to build more homes:
- Allowing taller buildings in residential and commercial zones (the amount taller depends on the zone).
- Increasing the maximum site coverage and reducing the front setback in some residential zones where two or more homes are provided.
- Allowing more homes per lot in Old Town (downtown west of 6^th Avenue).
Allowing supportive housing by right in all residential zones and offering new zoning benefits for qualifying affordable housing developments.
Reducing minimum parking requirements in the downtown and nearby neighbourhoods, and in neighbourhood shopping areas, to encourage housing development and more compact transit- and pedestrian-oriented commercial development.
Improving standards for quantity and quality of bicycle parking
New regulations for short-term rentals (STRs):
- Residential zones (where the first letter of the zone code is ‘R’):
  - primary residence requirement - the STR could be in the operator’s own residence while they are away (subject to a limit of 6 months per year), or full-time in a living or garden suite
  - limit of one per property
  - No property in a residential zone can be used solely as a full-time STR
- Commercial zones (where the first letter of the zone code is ‘C’)
  - Primary residence not required – the STR could be operated full-time in a dwelling that does not have a regular resident
  - No limit on the number allowed per property
New content that recognizes First Nation legislation alongside that of other levels of government, and that specifically identifies that the spirit and intent of First Nation Final Agreements and Self-Government Agreements should be considered in the decision-making process for zoning amendment and conditional use review processes.
Updated and simplified urban design requirements and guidelines:
- Incorporate winter cities design principles
- Promote efficient use of land downtown with a minimum floor area ratio for new developments
- Promote street-fronting buildings
- Promote pedestrian connectivity
- Clearer landscaping requirements, with firesmart principles incorporated
- Reduce light pollution
Encouraging local food and urban agriculture with clearer and more permissive rules.

Timeline

Why is a new Zoning Bylaw needed?
The City of Whitehorse adopted a new Whitehorse 2040 Official Community Plan(External link) (OCP) in 2023. In accordance with territorial legislation, the Zoning Bylaw needs to be updated to align with the new OCP.

How does the Zoning Bylaw rewrite impact me?
The Zoning Bylaw governs what kind of development can occur and how property and land can be used within the city. It sets out requirements regarding development and outlines permissible uses for different types of land and property within the city. When residents or property owners are planning to develop or alter a property or change how a property or area of land is used, they need to follow the Zoning Bylaw.

What is the relationship between the OCP and Zoning Bylaw?
The OCP guides the City as it grows over the coming decades. The plan establishes our objectives for growth and development. The Act mandates that the Zoning Bylaw needs to be updated within two years of adoption of the new OCP. The Zoning Bylaw uses the OCP planning framework to guide development.

How can I review the proposed Zoning Bylaw?

You can find links to the proposed Zoning Bylaw on this page (under documents). Residents can also review the proposed Zoning Bylaw by visiting:

City Hall (2nd Avenue and Steel Street)
The Building Services office (Calcite Business Centre - #6 - 151 Industrial Road)
The Canada Games Centre (200 Hamilton Boulevard)
The Bylaw Services office at the Public Safety Building (305 Range Road)

A Zoning Bylaw governs what kind of development can occur and how property and land can be used within the city.

The proposed Zoning Bylaw contains many changes from the current bylaw, including:

It has been reorganized and simplified, and the number of different zones and uses has been reduced, resulting in more flexible regulations that are easier to understand and apply.
Changes to the zoning rules that are intended to make it easier to build more homes:
- Allowing taller buildings in residential and commercial zones (the amount taller depends on the zone).
- Increasing the maximum site coverage and reducing the front setback in some residential zones where two or more homes are provided.
- Allowing more homes per lot in Old Town (downtown west of 6^th Avenue).
Allowing supportive housing by right in all residential zones and offering new zoning benefits for qualifying affordable housing developments.
Reducing minimum parking requirements in the downtown and nearby neighbourhoods, and in neighbourhood shopping areas, to encourage housing development and more compact transit- and pedestrian-oriented commercial development.
Improving standards for quantity and quality of bicycle parking
New regulations for short-term rentals (STRs):
- Residential zones (where the first letter of the zone code is ‘R’):
  - primary residence requirement - the STR could be in the operator’s own residence while they are away (subject to a limit of 6 months per year), or full-time in a living or garden suite
  - limit of one per property
  - No property in a residential zone can be used solely as a full-time STR
- Commercial zones (where the first letter of the zone code is ‘C’)
  - Primary residence not required – the STR could be operated full-time in a dwelling that does not have a regular resident
  - No limit on the number allowed per property
New content that recognizes First Nation legislation alongside that of other levels of government, and that specifically identifies that the spirit and intent of First Nation Final Agreements and Self-Government Agreements should be considered in the decision-making process for zoning amendment and conditional use review processes.
Updated and simplified urban design requirements and guidelines:
- Incorporate winter cities design principles
- Promote efficient use of land downtown with a minimum floor area ratio for new developments
- Promote street-fronting buildings
- Promote pedestrian connectivity
- Clearer landscaping requirements, with firesmart principles incorporated
- Reduce light pollution
Encouraging local food and urban agriculture with clearer and more permissive rules.

Timeline

How can I review the proposed Zoning Bylaw?

You can find links to the proposed Zoning Bylaw on this page (under documents). Residents can also review the proposed Zoning Bylaw by visiting:

City Hall (2nd Avenue and Steel Street)
The Building Services office (Calcite Business Centre - #6 - 151 Industrial Road)
The Canada Games Centre (200 Hamilton Boulevard)
The Bylaw Services office at the Public Safety Building (305 Range Road)

News feed

Webinars: A Guide for Developing Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing

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CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

In April 2024, Council adopted Bylaw 2024-16, a bylaw to amend the Zoning Bylaw to enable a wider range of opportunities for residential development within the City’s neighbourhoods.
To promote these changes and assist prospective developers with the implementation of these new regulations, the City staff will present a Guide for Developing Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing.
The guide will include a summary of the new zoning regulations, design considerations for implementation, such as development regulations, building code and engineering regulations, fees and charges, potential unit configurations and resources available to assist developers.
City staff will give a presentation summarizing the contents of the document and be available for questions and comments after the presentation
General Public Webinar
Monday, November 25: 12 to 1:30 pm
Registration Link

Professional Developers Webinar
Thursday, November 28: 12 to 1:30 pm
Registration Link

Anyone is welcome to attend either or both webinars. The Professional Developers webinar will be geared towards individuals and companies currently working in the development industry. As such, the attendee's knowledge of certain development regulations may be assumed by presenters.
The General Public webinar will be geared towards individuals who have never undertaken a major development project (for example, developing a dwelling unit).
Each webinar will be recorded, and recordings will be made available to the public as soon as possible.
STR Update: Engagement Summary Report Now Available

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Thank you to everyone who participated in engagement on Short-Term Rentals (STRs) we conducted in August and September. We are excited to release the Engagement Summary Report which summarizes the input we received from over 1900 survey responses and 10 stakeholder interviews. Feedback provided through this engagement along with best practices research and a technical review will inform the development of recommendations for a potential regulations to manage STRs in Whitehorse.
Short-Term Rental Survey (Closed)

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The survey is now closed. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey – we received over 1900 responses!
We are now preparing a What We Heard report summarizing the input received through the survey. The results will be provided later in October.
Your feedback, along with interested party feedback and best practices data, will be used to inform the draft Zoning Bylaw, including any proposed new short-term rental regulations. The draft bylaw will then be presented in late 2024/early 2025, for public and interested party feedback, to help the City finalize the bylaw for Council review and approval.
Take our Short-Term Rental Survey (Closed)

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With the rise of Short-Term Rentals (STRs) in Whitehorse, concerns about potential impacts to long-term housing access grow. The City is reviewing opportunities and challenges presented by STRs in our community. The City is also reviewing legislation, best practices, and lessons learned from other communities to understand how best to manage STRs in Whitehorse. This could involve developing regulations around how and where STRs can operate in the community.
STRs are generally defined as rental units or rooms in a house rented out by owners for a short period, typically 30 days or less. STRs include rental units or spaces that are often listed online on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. They are managed by owners or by a local rental management company. STRs differ from traditional bed and breakfasts, because there are currently no requirements for the owner or operator to live on site. As well, entire homes with kitchen facilities (vs individual rooms only) can be rented out.
Earlier this year, the City’s Housing and Land Development Advisory Committee submitted a report to Council recommending several STRs management approaches. The report included developing specific use regulations, developing definitions for different types of STRs, where in the city they would be allowed, and requirements for business licenses. This survey is an opportunity to provide input on the recommendations and share additional ideas.

As any new regulatory approach will likely involve changes to the Zoning Bylaw, this review is being completed concurrently with the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite project.

Tell us what you think!

The City wants to better understand your experiences related to Short Term Rentals (STR) in Whitehorse. We’re inviting residents, STR operators, local employers and tourism operators to take our survey.

Access the survey HERE.

The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. If you have any questions or concerns, or require accommodation to complete this survey, please reach out to the project leads listed on this page or planning@whitehorse.ca.

The survey will be open until September 2, 2024.
Housing Amendments Adopted

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At their regular meeting on Monday, April 22, 2024, Council adopted Bylaw 2024-16, a bylaw to amend the Zoning Bylaw to enable a wider range of opportunities for residential development. The new regulations are summarized as follows:
1. Allow up to four (4) units per lot in all urban ‘single detached’ residential zones;
2. Relax site coverage and setbacks in some zones where additional units are provided;
3. Relax living and garden suite regulations to allow them in more places:
  - Allow suites in RR zone
  - Allow suites in duplex, triplex, and townhouse housing
  - Allow two suites on any lot where suites are allowed
4. Enable more units in RCM – Comprehensive Residential Multiple Family and RCM3 – Cottage Cluster Homes zones; and
5. Relax some parking regulations:
  - Eliminate visitor parking and loading space requirements for multiple housing in commercial zones
  - Reduce parking requirements for living/garden suites
These amendments will be incorporated into a new consolidation of the Zoning Bylaw, to be released shortly. We will also be updating our application forms and handouts in the coming weeks.
You can read our guide to the new regulations here.
Public Hearing Report now available

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A copy of the Public Hearing Report is now available. Read it here.
Initial Round of Housing Amendments

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On February 26, 2024, City Council gave first reading to a bylaw to amend the Zoning Bylaw that, if adopted, will enable more housing to be developed throughout Whitehorse. The proposed amendments include:
1. Allow up to four (4) units per lot in all urban ‘single detached’ residential zones;
2. Relax site coverage and setbacks in some zones where additional units are provided;
3. Relax living and garden suite regulations to allow them in more places:
  - Allow suites in RR zone
  - Allow suites in duplex, triplex, and townhouse housing
  - Allow two suites on any lot where suites are allowed
4. Enable more units in RCM – Comprehensive Residential Multiple Family and RCM3 – Cottage Cluster Homes zones; and
5. Relax some parking regulations:
  - Eliminate visitor parking and loading space requirements for multiple housing in commercial zones
  - Reduce parking requirements for living/garden suites
A public hearing was held on March 25, 2024. The public hearing is now closed, and no further input on this bylaw can be submitted to Council. City staff presented a Public Hearing Report to Council on April 15, 2024. Council will make a decision on the proposed amendments April 22, 2024.
For additional details on what these proposed amendments mean, please review our Guide to Proposed Changes.
Still have questions? Ask a question right here in our Zoning Questions Corner, so others can see as well.
Round 1 Engagement Summary now available

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The Round 1 Engagement Summary report from the first round of public engagement is now available. The report provides a summary of the input received from 417 community survey responses and 10 targeted interviews with interested and affected parties and rights holders. Respondents provided their input on topics including housing, parking, urban design, and transportation.
This feedback will be used to inform the draft Zoning Bylaw, which is expected to be completed and presented for public and interested party feedback in fall 2024.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and interviews - your contributions and continued interest in the project are appreciated!
History of Zoning in Whitehorse

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Our planning team has put together a brief document summarizing the history of zoning in Whitehorse. This document looks back at all of the City's previous Zoning Bylaws, starting in 1952, and tracks how zoning has changed over the decades to reflect an evolving community and changes in planning best practices that are reflective of broader trends throughout North America.
History of Zoning in Whitehorse
Survey closed

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The survey is now closed. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey – we received 417 responses!

We are now preparing a What We Heard report summarizing the input received through the survey as well as interviews done by the consultant. The results will be provided later in February.

Stay tuned for more information on the second round of public engagement. We hope you can join us!

Your feedback, along with interested party feedback and best practices data, will be used to inform the draft Zoning Bylaw. The draft bylaw will then be presented in Fall 2024, for public and interested party feedback, to help the City finalize the bylaw for Council review and approval.