In most residential neighbourhoods in the Comox Valley, the answer is now yes. An ADU — accessory dwelling unit — is a self-contained second home on your property: a suite above a garage (a carriage house or coach house), a small detached home in the yard (a garden suite or laneway home), or a secondary suite within your existing home. BC’s recent small-scale housing legislation pushed municipalities across the province to open the door to them, and Courtenay, Comox, and Cumberland each now allow ADUs in most residential zones — with rules that differ from one municipality to the next.
I’m Wayne Truax, a residential designer in Comox. I’ve designed and built ADUs in the Comox valley — check them out in the portfolio below. If you’re wondering whether an ADU fits your lot, your budget, and your municipality’s bylaws, that’s exactly the question I answer for clients every week.
A suite built above a garage or workshop — the classic Comox Valley Coach house ADU. Parking or shop space below, a rental or family suite above, on a single detached footprint.
A compact standalone building for a home office, art studio, or guest space. With plumbing and living quarters (if required) it's a full ADU. A small footprint with a simple design is cost effective to build onsite. Modular construction is better suited for larger projects.
