RDN submitting second tiny homes resolution to UBCM

Rachelle Stein-Wotten

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Gabriola Sounder

The Regional District of Nanaimo board of directors continues to advocate for building code changes to support moveable tiny homes, sending its second resolution on the topic to the Union of BC Municipalities convention.

The resolution calls for the province to “advocate for and provide incentives to industry groups to revisit industry standards” for tiny homes and to certify moveable tiny homes as well as recreational vehicles (RVs) for permanent occupancy, separate from motorized vehicles, towable RVs and temporary small trailers.

It also calls for changes to the National Building Code and Part 9 of the BC Building Code to recognize and define tiny homes as an allowable dwelling unit and provide specific building requirements.

A delegation speaking in favour of the resolution noted Nova Scotia has incorporated parts of the International Residential Code Appendix AQ, which sets out safety standards for tiny homes on foundations and chassis for aspects like egresses, stairwells and loft ceiling heights; into its building code and suggested it could be used as a model for B.C.

“The RDN can really be a provincial leader,” Zoe Todd said to the board at its July 23 meeting. We need someone to take this on and push the province to the stringent safety codes that the industry is already using to protect consumers.”

In 2022, the RDN also submitted a resolution on tiny homes to UBCM; a similar resolution from the Town of Oliver to review the BC Building Code to better support tiny homes as permanent dwellings was endorsed by the UBCM membership. The province’s response to the resolution did not commit to a review of the code.