A legal secondary suite (often a basement suite) adds rental income and helps with mortgage costs, but 'legal' is the key word — an unpermitted suite creates insurance, safety, and resale problems. BC has been actively encouraging legal suites to add housing.
Permits and zoning
You'll need building permits, and your municipality's zoning must allow a secondary suite on your property. Rules vary by city, so start at your local building department to confirm what's permitted and required.
Life-safety requirements
Legal suites must meet code for egress windows in bedrooms, smoke and CO alarms (often interconnected between the suite and main home), fire separation between units, and minimum ceiling height — BC allows a reduced 1.95 m (about 6 ft 5 in) for secondary-suite living space, lower than the 2.1 m for standard rooms — and sometimes a separate entrance and dedicated parking.
Why legal matters
An unpermitted suite can void insurance after a fire, can't be legally rented in many areas, and must often be removed or brought to code before a sale. Doing it properly protects your investment and your tenants.