Exploring tiny house communities across Canada

With housing costs increasing in urban areas across the country, many Canadians are seeking alternative living arrangements and exploring the emerging tiny home movement. Innovative micro-sized houses provide an affordable alternative to big-city real estate as they are considerably cheaper to purchase and maintain. These compact eco-friendly dwellings also allow residents to live more sustainably and reduce their environmental footprint.

If you’re curious about Canada’s tiny house community, read on for everything you need to know about downsizing your square footage and embracing a minimalist lifestyle.

[Photo Credit: malp]

Unlike a recreational shed or mobile home, a tiny house is a self-contained permanent dwelling that includes all the amenities of a home – including a kitchen, sleeping area, living and dining spaces, and a bathroom. These meticulously planned structures are built with creative design elements and storage solutions that help to maximize space and functionality.

There is no legal definition for a tiny home in Canada, which means sizing parameters are dependent on municipal zoning by-laws. Some regions set out minimum size requirements for tiny homes, while others have maximum size requirements. As a general rule, tiny houses are typically anything less than 500-square-feet.
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Individual provinces and municipalities are governed by their own bylaws that determine where and how to build a tiny house. For example, tiny houses in Ontario must adhere to the provincial Building Code, which means they must be permanent structures connected to a municipal services grid. Other jurisdictions on the West Coast, East Coast, and Quebec are a little less stringent, but still have specific regulations governing the construction and location of tiny homes.

The average tiny house costs around $100,000 to $150,000 to purchase depending on the size, style, and materials used in construction. Downsizing to a more energy-efficient home also greatly reduces your cost of living and utility bills with average expenses coming in at around $500 to $1,000 a month – and much less if you’re living off the grid.

• Quebec has become a popular destination for tiny house communities thanks to its stunning scenery and progressive municipal bylaws on tiny home construction. While most of the province’s micro homes are situated in rural areas, Le Petit Quartier in Sherbrooke is set to become the country’s first urban tiny house community when it welcomes its first residents in summer 2021. The first project of its kind in Canada, the sprawling complex will feature more than 70 homes, six shared common buildings, and an on-site swimming pool.

• The private tiny house community of Bluegrass Meadows Micro Village in Terrace, British Columbia is perched in a natural setting surrounded by scenic fishing lakes and hiking trails. The 31-acre site includes 16 houses and residents have access to a number of shared amenities such as Wi-Fi, laundry, and a community garden.

• True North Tiny Homes recently announced it will be developing the first tiny house community in Ontario in 2021. Located 10 minutes from Goderich, the yet-to-be-built Bluewater Village offers dozens of fully serviced lots on rugged parkland with 2.5 kilometres of hiking trails overlooking Lake Huron.