Additional Residential Units

An Additional Residential Unit (ARU) is a fully livable and self-contained home that can be built either within
your existing house, such as a basement apartment, or as a separate structure on your property, like a backyard suite. ARU’s offer flexible housing options which can be used for family members or as a rental unit.

The Municipality has developed guides for building an ARU, whether in the urban area of Almonte, or in the rural, agricultural, and village areas of Mississippi Mills. 

These guides include information on:

• Definition of an ARU;
• Benefits of ARUs;
• The number of ARUs permitted on a property;
• Where an ARU can be built;
• Allowable size of an ARU;
• Parking requirements;
• Required permits and approvals; and
• Frequently asked questions.

These guides were made possible thanks to the Housing Accelerator Fund, and are intended to make ARUs more accessible for residents.

Click on the boxes below to view or download the ARU guide relevant to your property area: