The Regional District of Nanaimo is once again addressing the challenge of regulating and enforcing laws that prohibit full-time living in recreational vehicles, despite a growing number of individuals resorting to this due to housing shortages. The district’s board is set to review staff recommendations to lift a temporary suspension on enforcing bylaws against year-round RV living at campsites and resorts. The proposals also involve creating a rural housing policy and establishing guidelines for temporary use permits for those opting to reside full-time in RVs, whether on campgrounds or private land.
Recreational vehicles are not permitted for full-time occupancy under the B.C. Building Code, as they adhere to different safety standards than conventional homes. Many municipalities in the province restrict RV living to six months or less due to safety concerns. Lisa Grant, the district’s general manager of planning and development, expressed concerns about safety standards compliance during a recent electoral services committee meeting.
Zoe Todd, an associate professor at Simon Fraser University, affected by the district’s regulations, welcomed the discussion on RV living, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the reality of people living in RVs in the region. Todd’s plans to reside in her mobile home at her sister’s property were disrupted when a neighbor reported her to bylaw enforcement, resulting in her having to share a basement suite with her elderly father.
At a recent electoral services meeting, Grant highlighted the importance of temporary use permits, costing $800 and lasting up to three years, to ensure RV safety. Recent RV fires in the district, one leading to a fatality and another causing serious injury, have raised safety concerns. In the neighboring Comox Valley, fire officials issued safety warnings to full-time RV residents following several fire incidents.
Despite safety worries, some directors expressed concerns about the impact of the staff recommendations on vulnerable individuals who have no alternative but to live in RVs due to financial constraints. Area F Director Leanne Salter emphasized the financial burden that $800 application fees for temporary permits could pose on RV residents already struggling financially. Salter criticized the idea of a rural housing strategy, stating that affordable housing remains unattainable for many of the district’s poorest residents.
Ultimately, the directors decided not to lift the temporary suspension on bylaw enforcement and proceeded with developing a rural housing strategy and guidelines for temporary use permits, excluding area F as requested by Salter. The district board, comprising 19 members, will vote on the staff report with considerations from the electoral area directors’ previous decision.
