Big housing idea comes in small package

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 5, 2016
By Teresa Latchford

While the tiny house movement continues to gain traction in Canada, you would have a difficult time finding one in York Region.

The tiny house movement - homeowners downsizing to homes with less than 500 square feet of living space to simplify life, save money or to reduce their ecological footprint - is a trend that has only recently emerged in Canada.

According to Tiny Home Alliance, moving to these smaller dwellings can yield a savings of 30 to 40 per cent of a household’s gross income all without sacrificing quality of life.

While the Ontario Building Code requires no less than 145 square feet of living space when living, dining, bedroom and kitchen spaces are combined in a unit where no more than two people will reside, the trend just isn’t feasible in this region, according to Newmarket Royal LePage realtor Lynn Kongkham.

“York Region is obsessed with bigger houses and, in many of the municipalities, tiny houses on wheels are considered RVs, which, in many cases, are banned from being parked on residential properties,” she explained.

The cost of land in York Region doesn’t lend itself well to tiny houses either since an owner who wants to sell would have to try to sell a house with a small square footage at a high price just to recoup what was paid for the land.

Another factor is the Canadian climate. A tiny house works well in a warmer climate, because living areas such as a dining room can be accommodated outdoors. Winter in Canada doesn’t make for very comfortable outdoor living spaces.

The region’s version of a tiny house would most likely come in the form of a condo, Kongkham said, pointing to a condo building in Markham featuring units measuring 277 square feet.

“I would be willing to live in that small of a space for a vacation, but not full time with a family of four,” she said. “Most of my clients who downsize from a large home to a 1,000 square-foot condo find it difficult.”

While tiny houses may not be attractive for the mainstream, York Region affordable housing advocate and Newmarket Regional Councillor John Taylor was intrigued when he first saw how Housing for Homeless, a U.S.-based charitable organization, were using the tiny house model to address poverty.

“There were eight to 10 of these tiny houses on one lot with a communal structure in the middle,” he said. “I was really intrigued.”

Each unit was no more than 300 square feet and contained a bed, kitchenette and washroom. The communal structure featured a larger kitchen and a common area in which to congregate.

Taylor instantly thought the model would be perfect for those in need of a more affordable housing option due to economic hardships, seniors looking to downsize or even university students.

“It is something we should be exploring further,” he said.

While tiny houses aren’t a reality in the region, there is a growing trend of people and families looking to live in smaller spaces due to the increasing cost of living, especially heat and electricity, Taylor said.

In recognition of this trend, the region has reduced development charges for builders constructing units fewer than 600 square feet.