Multigenerational Living in Richmond Hill and Markham: Homes, Zoning and What Buyers Need to Know

Multigenerational living is not a trend in York Region. It is a reality for thousands of families who share a home across two or three generations. Whether you are buying a home with a legal basement apartment for aging parents, looking for a property with a separate entrance for adult children or searching for a layout that gives everyone space while keeping the family under one roof, this guide covers what is available, what is legal, which neighbourhoods support it best and how it affects your long-term resale value.

Table of Contents

• Why Multigenerational Living Is So Common in York Region
• What to Look for in a Multigenerational Home
• Types of Multigenerational Living Arrangements
• Zoning and Legal Requirements in Richmond Hill and Markham
• Building Code Requirements for Secondary Suites
• Best Neighbourhoods for Multigenerational Homes
• How Multigenerational Features Affect Resale Value
• Cost of Creating a Legal Secondary Suite
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Multigenerational Living Is So Common in York Region

York Region is one of the most culturally diverse regions in Canada. In Richmond Hill, approximately 60% of residents are immigrants. In Markham, that figure exceeds 70%. Many of these families come from cultures where multigenerational living is the norm, not the exception. Parents live with adult children. Grandparents help raise grandchildren. Adult children care for aging parents. The home is designed around the family, not the individual.

But cultural tradition is only part of the story. Economics are driving multigenerational living even among families without a cultural precedent. With the average detached home in Richmond Hill exceeding $1.5M and Markham exceeding $1.4M, pooling household incomes across generations is often the only way to afford homeownership in York Region. A family earning $150,000 alone qualifies for approximately $850,000 in mortgage borrowing. Add a parent contributing $2,000/month in rent or mortgage assistance and the household's effective purchasing power increases by $200,000 to $300,000.

There are also practical caregiving reasons. Aging parents who want to maintain independence but need proximity to family. Young families who need childcare support from grandparents. Adult children who are saving for their own home while contributing to the household. These are not edge cases. In York Region, they are the mainstream.

What to Look for in a Multigenerational Home

Not every large home works for multigenerational living. Size alone is not sufficient. What matters is how the space is organized and whether the layout provides appropriate privacy, accessibility and independence for each generation.

The features that define a strong multigenerational home include a separate entrance (side door, walk-out basement or rear entrance) that allows one generation to come and go without passing through the other's living space, a full kitchen or kitchenette on a secondary level (basement or main floor), a full bathroom accessible to the secondary living area without sharing the primary family's space, sound separation between levels (concrete floor between main and basement is ideal, wood-frame requires insulation and resilient channel), a bedroom on the main floor for aging family members who cannot manage stairs, separate laundry access (or at minimum a stackable washer and dryer in the secondary unit), adequate parking for multiple vehicles (a double garage plus driveway space for 2 to 3 additional cars) and outdoor space that can be shared or separated (a backyard with a patio area for each generation).

When touring homes, evaluate whether these elements exist or can be reasonably added. A home with a walk-out basement, a rough-in for a second kitchen and a separate side entrance is far more adaptable than a home where creating a secondary suite requires structural changes.

Types of Multigenerational Living Arrangements

Basement Suite (Most Common)

The most common arrangement in York Region is a finished basement with a separate entrance, full kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. In newer homes (2000s onward), basements are often built with 9-foot ceilings, rough-ins for a second kitchen and a side entrance, making conversion straightforward. In older homes (1980s and earlier), lower ceiling heights (7 feet or less) can make legal compliance difficult because the Ontario Building Code requires a minimum 6 feet 5 inches of clear ceiling height in habitable rooms for secondary suites.

Coach House (Cornell, Select Markham Homes)

Several homes in Cornell's new urbanism community include a coach house above the rear-lane garage. These secondary units are typically 300 to 500 square feet with a separate entrance from the laneway. They function as self-contained apartments with a living area, kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping space. Coach houses are ideal for aging parents who want independence or for adult children saving for their first home. Properties with finished coach houses command a premium over comparable homes without one.

Main-Floor Suite (Accessibility Focused)

For aging parents with mobility limitations, a main-floor bedroom with an adjacent bathroom and separate entrance is the safest arrangement. This avoids stairs entirely. Some newer homes in Richmond Hill and Markham are designed with a main-floor guest suite that can serve this purpose. Older homes may require converting a main-floor den or living room into a bedroom and adding a nearby bathroom. The cost of this conversion depends on plumbing proximity and structural changes required.

Garden Suite (Backyard Detached Unit)

Ontario's Bill 23 permits garden suites (detached backyard dwelling units) as of right on most residential properties. A garden suite is a separate building in the backyard with its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom and living space. These are gaining interest among York Region families because they provide the most privacy and independence of any multigenerational arrangement. However, they are also the most expensive to build ($150,000 to $350,000+ depending on size, finishes and site conditions) and must comply with zoning setback, lot coverage and height requirements. Not every lot has the physical space to accommodate one.

Shared Living (No Separate Suite)

Many multigenerational families simply share the home without creating a formal separate suite. Grandparents occupy a bedroom on the main floor or second floor. The family shares the kitchen, living areas and bathrooms. This arrangement works well for families with strong interpersonal dynamics but offers less privacy. From a real estate perspective, it requires the least modification to the home but does not add the resale premium that a legal secondary suite provides.

Zoning and Legal Requirements in Richmond Hill and Markham

Ontario's Bill 23 (More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022) fundamentally changed the zoning landscape for secondary suites in York Region. Before Bill 23, adding a basement apartment or secondary unit often required a zoning amendment, a process that took months, required public hearings and had uncertain outcomes. Bill 23 removed that barrier by permitting up to three residential units per lot as of right on most residential properties. In Markham, the new Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2024-19 goes further, permitting up to four residential units per lot.

This means you no longer need a rezoning application to create a basement apartment, a coach house suite or a garden suite on most residential lots in Richmond Hill and Markham. Bill 23 also removed the requirement for additional parking spaces for secondary suites. Previously, each additional unit required one additional parking space on the property. That requirement has been eliminated for additional residential units, though the original parking requirements for the primary dwelling still apply.

What Bill 23 did not change: setback requirements (minimum distances from property lines), lot coverage limits (maximum percentage of the lot covered by buildings), building height restrictions and Ontario Building Code requirements. The zoning permission is as of right, but the physical constraints of your lot still apply. A 30-foot-wide lot in Langstaff may not have the setback clearance for a garden suite that a 50-foot lot in Jefferson accommodates easily. Every project needs to be evaluated against the specific zoning provisions for the property.

Building Code Requirements for Secondary Suites

Zoning permission is only the first step. A legal secondary suite must also comply with the Ontario Building Code (OBC). These requirements exist to protect the safety of occupants and they are non-negotiable. A building permit is required for any secondary suite, whether it is a new basement apartment, a coach house conversion or a garden suite.

The single biggest barrier is ceiling height. If your basement has 7-foot ceilings, you may be fine (6 ft 5 in minimum with some allowance for finishing). If your basement has 6-foot ceilings (common in 1970s and 1980s homes), you are below code and the only remedy is underpinning, which involves excavating beneath the existing foundation to lower the floor. This is a major structural project costing $30,000 to $80,000+ depending on the size of the basement. For some families, this cost makes a legal basement suite impractical and alternative arrangements (main-floor suite, garden suite) become more viable.

Best Neighbourhoods for Multigenerational Homes

Cornell, Markham

Cornell's new urbanism design includes homes with coach houses above the rear-lane garage, creating a naturally self-contained secondary unit. These 300 to 500-square-foot units have separate laneway entrances and are ideal for aging parents or adult children. Cornell also has detached homes with 9-foot basement ceilings and rough-ins for second kitchens, making basement suite conversions straightforward.

Cachet, Richmond Hill

Cachet's estate-scale homes offer the most space for multigenerational living in Richmond Hill. Properties on 60 to 80-foot lots with 4,000 to 6,000+ square feet of living space can accommodate separate living areas on different levels without significant renovation. Many have walk-out basements with rear entrances that can function as independent suites. The lot sizes also provide sufficient space for garden suites within zoning setback requirements.

Jefferson, Richmond Hill

Jefferson's 1990s detached homes on 40 to 50-foot lots offer a practical middle ground. Many have walk-out basements on sloped lots, providing a natural separate entrance for a basement suite. Ceiling heights in this era are typically 7 to 8 feet, which meets code minimums. The neighbourhood sits within the Bayview Secondary School (IB program) catchment, which adds a school-driven demand layer for families with school-age children.

Greensborough, Markham

Greensborough's 2000s-era homes frequently have 9-foot basement ceilings, pre-roughed plumbing for a second kitchen and side entrances that simplify secondary suite conversion. The neighbourhood offers some of Markham's most accessible detached home pricing, making it a strong option for multigenerational families who want newer construction with suite-ready infrastructure at a lower entry point than Unionville or Angus Glen.

Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill

Oak Ridges offers detached homes on larger lots (some exceeding 60 feet) with walk-out basements on the Moraine's natural slopes. The combination of lot size, walk-out potential and proximity to nature (Lake Wilcox, trails, the Oak Ridges Community Centre) makes this neighbourhood appealing for families where the older generation values outdoor access and a quieter pace.

Unionville, Markham

Unionville's established detached homes near Main Street combine walkability with family-sized homes. Many 1990s and 2000s builds have finished basements with side entrances. The walkability to shops, restaurants and Toogood Pond is a significant quality-of-life factor for aging parents who may not drive. Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS and Unionville HS catchments add school-driven demand for the younger generation.

How Multigenerational Features Affect Resale Value

A legal secondary suite adds measurable value to a home in York Region. The value comes from two sources: the rental income the suite can generate and the expanded buyer pool that considers homes with in-law suites, nanny suites or income potential.

A legal basement apartment in Richmond Hill or Markham can generate $1,500 to $2,500/month in rental income depending on size, finishes and location. At $2,000/month, that is $24,000/year in gross income. Using a conservative capitalization approach, that income stream adds approximately $50,000 to $100,000 in market value to the home beyond what a comparable home without a suite would sell for.

The key word is "legal." An unpermitted basement apartment (no building permit, no fire separation, no proper egress) does not add value in the same way. It may actually create liability. Buyers who discover an unpermitted suite during their inspection or through the status of the property must evaluate whether to bring it up to code (which can cost $20,000 to $50,000+) or remove it. Lenders may not consider rental income from an unpermitted suite when qualifying the buyer's mortgage. Insurance may not cover incidents in an unpermitted unit.

From a resale positioning standpoint, a home with a legal secondary suite appeals to a broader buyer pool: multigenerational families, investors seeking rental income, buyers who want help with the mortgage and families planning for future flexibility. That broader pool creates more competition and supports stronger offers.

Cost of Creating a Legal Secondary Suite

The return on investment for a legal secondary suite is among the highest of any home improvement in York Region. A $60,000 basement suite that generates $2,000/month in rent pays for itself in 30 months. Even if you never rent the suite, the resale value premium and expanded buyer pool make the investment worthwhile for most homeowners who plan to hold the property for 5+ years.

Note: Zoning provisions, building code requirements and construction costs cited in this guide are approximate and based on York Region conditions as of 2026. Actual requirements vary by property, municipality and project scope. Bill 23 provisions are subject to interpretation and municipal implementation. Building permits are required for all secondary suite construction. For definitive zoning information, contact your municipal planning department. For building code compliance, consult a licensed contractor or building consultant. This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial or construction advice.