Cities across Canada have different names for these: laneway suites, garden suites, garage suites, backyard suites, and on and on. The form and makeup remain the same; a secondary unit located in a separate building but located on the same property, a guest house of sorts. Some sit atop garages, others access rear lanes and act as their own houses, and some feel like a cabin getaway set in a picturesque backyard. Accommodating extended family or renters, these dwellings serve as an additional option for property owners and they help cities achieve higher densities and the much desired missing middle housing.
Regina has implemented several pilot projects to test out this building form. Between 2013 and 2016, three pilot projects tested what the municipal government labelled Laneway Suites and Garden Suites; the former with garage accessing the lane and the latter accessing the front of the property according to the bylaw definitions.