VANPLEX

Capital Region | Esquimalt

Multiplex in Esquimalt

Esquimalt implemented the provincial rules with a notable limit: it tops out at four units, not six. Properties under 280 m² take up to three units and those over 280 m² take up to four, in new small-scale multi-family zones (RSM-1 and RSM-2). Because the township has no frequent-transit stops that meet the provincial standard, it drafted no six-unit tier at all.

Key Takeaways

  • ✓3 units under 280 m²; 4 units over 280 m².
  • ✓No 6-unit tier — Esquimalt has no qualifying frequent-transit stops.
  • ✓New zones RSM-1 (small lot) and RSM-2 (larger lot) carry the permissions.
  • ✓Tsunami-flood-risk areas were exempted from the new SSMUH zoning.

What Esquimalt Did

3 units on smaller lots

Properties under 280 m² must accommodate up to three residential units, in line with the provincial Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing floor.

4 units on larger lots

Properties over 280 m² accommodate up to four residential units. These sit in Esquimalt’s new small-scale multi-family zones.

No 6-unit tier

Because Esquimalt has no provincially recognized frequent-transit stops, it drafted no six-unit zones — the transit bonus that unlocks six units elsewhere does not apply here.

RSM-1 and RSM-2 zones

Esquimalt created small-scale multi-family zones — RSM-1 for small lots and RSM-2 for larger lots — to carry the new permissions. Tsunami-flood-risk areas were exempted from SSMUH zoning.

Details from the Township of Esquimalt SSMUH page; unit thresholds follow the Province of BC SSMUH framework.

Best For

  • ✓ Esquimalt lots over 280 m² aiming for the four-unit form.
  • ✓ Smaller lots under 280 m² building up to three units.
  • ✓ Builders who plan around a four-unit ceiling rather than counting on six.

Usually Fails When

  • ✕ A pro forma assumes six units — Esquimalt has no six-unit tier.
  • ✕ A tsunami-flood-risk parcel is assumed eligible for the new SSMUH zoning.
  • ✕ The 280 m² lot-size split is misread, over-counting units on a small lot.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

  • → The lot area against the 280 m² threshold (3 vs 4 units).
  • → Whether the parcel sits in a tsunami-flood-risk exemption area.
  • → The applicable RSM-1 or RSM-2 zone rules for the lot.

Where to Go Next

Saanich
A six-unit-capable neighbour with DP exemptions.
West Shore
Langford and Colwood under Bill 44.
Bill 44 vs MMHI
The provincial framework Esquimalt follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many units can I build in Esquimalt? +
Up to three units on properties under 280 m² and up to four units on properties over 280 m², matching the provincial SSMUH floor. Esquimalt did not create a six-unit tier, because it has no provincially recognized frequent-transit stops to trigger the six-unit bonus.
Why does Esquimalt have no 6-unit option? +
The six-unit minimum under Bill 44 applies to larger lots within 400 metres of a frequent-transit stop (one served at least every 15 minutes). Esquimalt has no stops that meet that frequency standard, so it had no obligation — and drafted no zones — to permit six units.
What are the RSM-1 and RSM-2 zones? +
They are Esquimalt’s small-scale multi-family housing zones — RSM-1 for small lots and RSM-2 for larger lots — created to implement SSMUH. Properties in tsunami-flood-risk areas were exempted from the new zoning.
How does Esquimalt compare to Saanich? +
Both implemented SSMUH on the provincial timeline, but Saanich permits up to six units (and added a Form & Character DP exemption), while Esquimalt tops out at four units with no six-unit tier because it lacks qualifying frequent transit. The lot-size split at 280 m² is the same in both.

Official Sources Referenced

Township of Esquimalt — Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing
https://www.esquimalt.ca/business-development/development/small-scale-multi-unit-housing-township-esquimalt
Province of BC — Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH / Bill 44)
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-initiatives/smale-scale-multi-unit-housing
Province of BC — SSMUH Provincial Policy Manual & Site Standards (PDF)
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/local-governments-and-housing/ssmuh_provincial_policy_manual.pdf
Province of BC — Housing Targets Orders
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-targets/orders
BC Gov News — First housing targets set (Victoria 4,902 units)
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0123-001505

Screen Your Victoria Lot for a Houseplex

Enter any Greater Victoria address to check the zone, Traditional Residential designation, and how many units the Missing Middle rules allow.