Residential Care Homes

The following is designed to familiarize prospective operators of Residential Care Homes with the City’s Zoning Bylaw requirements. The City of Saskatoon does not require a business license for the operation of a Care Home.

Definitions

• A “residential care home” means a licensed or approved group care home governed by provincial regulations that provides, in a residential setting, 24-hour care of persons in need of personal services, supervision or assistance essential for sustaining the activities of daily living or for the protection of the individual.
  • A “residential care home - type I” means a residential care home in which the number of residents, excluding staff, is not more than five.
  • A “residential care home – type II” means a residential care home in which the number of residents, excluding staff, is more than five and not more than 15.

Care homes that do not meet the definition above or have a capacity of greater than 15 residents under care may be interpreted differently. Please contact development.services@saskatoon.ca for further information.

Land Use

All property in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning designation. Within each zoning designation, land uses such as a Residential Care Home can be permitted, prohibited, or discretionary. To determine the zoning designation or whether your proposal is permitted or discretionary, please refer to the Zoning Bylaw.

• If your proposal is a permitted use, you may apply directly for Building and Development Permits. For projects related to Alternative Family Care Homes, the permit application checklist will help you prepare your submission package. 
• If your proposal is a discretionary use, you must obtain discretionary use approval before applying for any necessary permits.

Building Code Requirements

In order to verify compliance with safety standards, a building permit is required prior to the operation of any residential care home in the city. A building permit is also required if a building which either contains a residential care home or in which a residential care home is proposed to be established, is to be altered, expanded or upgraded. For information on Building Code requirements and building permits for Residential Care Homes contact Building Standards.

Licensing

Please contact the appropriate provincial department for more information on licensing your particular type of residential care home at Saskatchewan Government Health.