The honest answers.

SSMUH, small-scale multi-unit housing, is a 2023 BC law (Bill 44) that requires most cities to allow three to six homes on lots that previously permitted only a single house or duplex, by permit rather than rezoning.

In Port Moody: up to three units on lots under 280 m², up to four on lots from 280 m² to 4,050 m², and up to six on those larger lots if they sit within 400 m of frequent transit. Your exact number depends on lot size and transit distance, which is why a lot-specific check matters.

No. That is the core change. SSMUH homes are permitted outright, so a qualifying project follows a building permit path instead of a rezoning with a public hearing. It is faster and far more predictable.

Bill 44 is SSMUH, three to six ground-oriented homes on ordinary lots citywide. Bill 47 is transit-oriented areas, apartment-scale density near the SkyTrain, up to 20 storeys close to Moody Centre and Inlet Centre stations. A lot is governed by one or the other, decided by its distance to the platform.

It varies widely by form and finish. A secondary suite is the cheapest addition; a laneway or coach home is a mid-range project; a full fourplex is a major build. Soft costs, design, permits, servicing, and financing, typically add meaningfully on top of construction. A feasibility study puts real numbers against your specific lot.

Most complete projects run in the range of 18 to 30 months from first design to occupancy: a few months of feasibility and design, several months for permits, and roughly a year of construction. Slope, servicing, and design complexity move these numbers.

Common routes include a construction mortgage, drawing on home equity, or, for five or more units, CMHC's MLI Select program, which can offer longer amortizations. The right structure depends on whether you plan to hold, sell, or partner with a builder.

Adding homes and value generally affects assessed value over time, which can affect taxes. It is one of the real line items to weigh, and a feasibility study should surface it rather than gloss over it.

It is a plain read of what your lot can hold under the current bylaw, transit distance included, with the rough economics of the likely options. Yes, the initial study is free and reviewed personally. There is no obligation to do anything with it.

No. Building and holding, building and selling, and selling the lot are all valid outcomes, and the right one depends entirely on your situation. Our job is to help you understand the choices, not to steer you toward the one that suits us.

Port Moody Multiplex is a resource built by the Zada Group, a Port Moody real estate team led by Dawar Zada, PREC, with Stonehaus Realty Corp. We work in these neighbourhoods every day and built this site to answer the SSMUH questions we kept being asked.