Ancaster is part of the City of Hamilton but it does not always follow Hamilton's rules. Much of it is still zoned under the former Town of Ancaster Zoning By-law 87-57 rather than the city-wide 05-200, so a setback or coverage answer here comes from a different document than the same question asked in Westdale or on the east Mountain. The village core carries genuinely old stone and brick houses on narrow frontages. Ancaster Heights and the Oakhill area run to large post-1970 homes on wooded, sloped lots. West of Wilson Street the lots turn rural, often on private well and septic.
That slope is the recurring theme. A house built into the brow means grading, drainage and access are part of the estimate before anyone talks about finishes, and lots near the escarpment or a Hamilton Conservation Authority watercourse can need a separate permit under Ontario Regulation 41/24 on top of the building permit. It shows up most in lower levels, where a walkout is often possible but the water has to be handled first. Our basement renovations in Ancaster start with that grading question rather than the drywall.