VANPLEX
David Babakaiff
Written by David Babakaiff — Co-Founder, VanPlex | 25+ Years BC Construction

Capital Region | Oak Bay

Multiplex in Oak Bay

Oak Bay did adopt small-scale multi-unit zoning, up to four units on most lots through its Infill Housing Program in June 2024. But it is also the only Capital Region municipality the Province placed under a Housing Supply Act advisor, with the Minister later signalling formal directives on variances and parking. If you are building in Oak Bay, the rules are real but the ground has been shifting, so confirm the current parking and variance position before you design.

Key Takeaways

  • ✓Up to 4 units on most lots via a building permit (DP review waived); no 6-unit tier.
  • ✓Coach houses, triplexes, and fourplexes permitted; parking minimums reduced in 2024.
  • ✓Only Capital Region municipality under a Housing Supply Act advisor (Jan 2025).
  • ✓Ministerial directives on variance delegation and a 1-stall-per-unit minimum (by Jan 2026).

The Timeline

June 24, 2024

Bylaws adopted

Oak Bay Council adopted zoning amendments creating an Infill Housing Program. Most properties became eligible for up to four units, with coach houses, triplexes, and fourplexes permitted, development permit review waived in favour of a building permit, and parking minimums reduced.

↓
January 28, 2025

Provincial advisor appointed

The Province appointed an advisor to Oak Bay under the Housing Supply Act, the only Capital Region municipality in this position.

↓
May 21, 2025

Minister signals directives

After a review, the Minister wrote that directives would be issued: delegating minor variances to staff and amending the parking bylaw to require a minimum of one stall per unit, both by January 31, 2026.

From the District of Oak Bay and the Province’s notice letter to Oak Bay.

Best For

  • ✓ Oak Bay lots aiming at the four-unit Infill Housing Program forms.
  • ✓ Owners comfortable confirming current parking and variance rules amid provincial directives.
  • ✓ Coach house, triplex, and fourplex projects that fit the building-permit path.

Usually Fails When

  • ✕ A pro forma assumes six units, but Oak Bay has no six-unit tier.
  • ✕ Parking or variance rules are taken from older guidance superseded by directives.
  • ✕ The provincial-intervention context is ignored when planning timelines.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

  • → The current parking minimum and variance-delegation rules with Oak Bay.
  • → Which Infill Housing Program form fits your lot.
  • → How the directives (effective by Jan 31, 2026) changed the process.

Where to Go Next

Saanich
A smoother, six-unit-capable implementation.
Bill 44 vs MMHI
The provincial framework behind the directives.
Hub Overview
The City of Victoria's own Missing Middle program.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many units can I build in Oak Bay? +
Most Oak Bay properties became eligible for up to four units when Council adopted Infill Housing Program zoning amendments on June 24, 2024. Permitted forms include coach houses, triplexes, and fourplexes, with development permit review waived (a building permit is required) and parking minimums reduced. There is no standard six-unit tier.
Why did the Province intervene in Oak Bay? +
Oak Bay is the only Capital Region municipality placed under a Housing Supply Act advisor. The advisor was appointed January 28, 2025, and after a review the Minister signalled on May 21, 2025 that directives would be issued, specifically to delegate minor variances to staff and to set a minimum of one parking stall per unit, both by January 31, 2026. This account is drawn from the Minister’s public notice letter, not rumour.
Does the intervention change what I can build today? +
The base permission, up to four units on most lots via a building permit, comes from the June 2024 bylaws. The provincial directives target process (variance delegation) and parking minimums. Confirm the current parking and variance rules with Oak Bay before designing, since these were the subject of directives.
How does Oak Bay compare to Saanich or Victoria? +
Oak Bay caps at four units with no six-unit tier, and unlike Saanich it drew provincial directives over its implementation. The City of Victoria, by contrast, runs its own Missing Middle program allowing houseplexes up to six units and corner townhouses up to twelve. Oak Bay is the most constrained of the three.
What forms can I build under Oak Bay’s Infill Housing Program? +
Oak Bay’s Infill Housing Program permits coach houses, triplexes, and fourplexes on most properties, adopted by Council on June 24, 2024. These forms come with a building permit path instead of development permit review, and reduced parking minimums compared to Oak Bay’s prior zoning.
Do I still need a development permit to build in Oak Bay? +
No. Oak Bay’s June 2024 bylaws waived development permit review for the Infill Housing Program forms in favour of a building permit. That change applies to coach houses, triplexes, and fourplexes on the properties the bylaws made eligible.
What is the parking minimum for an Oak Bay multiplex right now? +
Oak Bay reduced parking minimums when it adopted its Infill Housing Program bylaws on June 24, 2024, but the Minister signalled on May 21, 2025 that a directive would set a minimum of one parking stall per unit by January 31, 2026. Confirm the current standard with Oak Bay before designing, since this rule was actively changing.
What is the deadline for Oak Bay to act on the provincial directives? +
Oak Bay has until January 31, 2026 to act on the ministerial directives, which cover delegating minor variances to staff and setting a minimum of one parking stall per unit. That deadline followed the Minister’s May 21, 2025 notice, itself the result of the advisor appointed on January 28, 2025.

Official Sources Referenced

District of Oak Bay — Zoning Bylaw Amendments Adopted
https://connect.oakbay.ca/housing-action-program/district-of-oak-bay-zoning-bylaw-amendments-adopted
Province of BC — Notice to Oak Bay (Housing Supply Act directives, PDF)
https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBayNoticeLetter.pdf
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
General information, not legal advice. Zoning and permitting rules are set by each municipality and change over time. Verify current requirements directly with the municipal Planning Department before making a decision.

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.