Many jurisdictions in B.C. limit the amount of time a person can dwell in an RV. But for people like Beverley and Tom Griffiths, RV living offers lower expenses at a time when affordable housing is in short supply.Lori Monty/Lori Monty
Tom and Beverley Griffiths were already ardent recreational vehicle travellers when they decided to relocate from Prince George to Vancouver Island a decade ago and retire in their fifth-wheel camper.
The Griffiths, who came to B.C. from Australia 59 years ago, have made their RV a permanent residence. However, many jurisdictions, including the Regional District of Nanaimo, limit the amount of time a person can dwell full-time in an RV. The B.C. Building Code also prohibits full-time RV dwelling. The Griffiths live on the outskirts of Parksville alongside many other full-time RV residents, mostly seniors, who’ve found affordable housing in the Riverbend Cottage & RV Resort. They might not have a proper garden, and freezing weather has its challenges, but they have a tight-knit community, and their fifth-wheel is nestled in 16 acres of forest along the Englishman River with a view of snow-capped mountains behind them. Mr. Griffiths says the atypical lifestyle suits them well, and they have no intention of giving it up.
“A person can live within their pension and without having to drain the bank every month to be able to pay for rent and food and all that sort of thing. This way, it makes living a little more affordable for some people. It’s the only way they can live,” said Mr. Griffiths, who said growing numbers are living in RVs, many of them outside legal parks.
“There are a lot of people living in RVs in people’s backyards, on acreages and things like that.”
Mr. Griffiths has become a vocal advocate for legalizing full-time RV park residency in rural areas, including those communities within the Regional District of Nanaimo. The RDN is the governing body represented by four municipalities (Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville and Qualicum Beach) and several large rural zones known as Electoral Areas that include many small communities.
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There are estimated to be thousands of people living in RVs in rural areas and on islands throughout B.C. Many RV dwellers park on private properties; some park at the side of the road. Others have formed illegal quasi-parks of their own. A year and a half ago, the RDN, recognizing the hardship people would face if they enforced a six-month length-of-stay rule, put a pause on enforcement. Earlier this year, RDN directors voted to develop a rural housing strategy and guidelines for temporary use permits for full-time RV dwellers in some areas. Residents can apply for a three-year term permit costing $800, which can be renewed.
Mr. Griffiths doesn’t see the need for permits and time restrictions when there are existing laws that already protect RV residents.
“Let’s not try reinventing the wheel. The wheel’s already going around. Let’s just make it run smoother,” he said.
An estimated 200 full-time RV residents have found affordable housing in the Riverbend Cottage & RV Resort near Parksville, B.C.Lori Monty/Lori Monty
The RDN policy is an interim measure while the municipalities assess issues like safety, fire risk, access to emergency services, environmental and infrastructure issues, such as water and sewage connections, and the proximity and impact on other properties.
The RV community is generally comprised of two groups: RV dwellers who have chosen RV living for the lifestyle and to save on housing costs, and those who would be homeless without their RVs.
“I represent a rural area, and it is certainly more prevalent in rural areas than urban areas,” said Stuart McLean, chair of the RDN board and director of Electoral Area H.
“In rural areas, the demand is there for affordable housing, but the supply is not,” said Mr. McLean. “And I think people are just kind of doing what they can to get by. Do I think it’s ideal? No. But is it better than someone sleeping in a tent? Yes.”
Mr. McLean said the problem has been the lack of government-funded social housing over the decades. Local governments are now dealing with the problem head-on.
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“These are all stopgap measures,” he said. “It’s not really addressing the root of the problem. … I think part of the reason we’re at where we are is a long-standing historic decrease in public housing investment by the federal government. … Now, we are seeing the effect.”
Leanne Salter, director for Electoral Area F, said there are RVs that are not properly managed. But she voted against the temporary use permit because it only adds to the cost of housing.
“There have been issues with drugs, violence and theft. We do have those campgrounds, and we know where they are. That’s not working. And people who live nearby are on tenterhooks.”
But a housing solution isn’t on its way any time soon, she said. She believes that with proper regulation and oversight, RV living could be a viable option.
“We do need to put some rules in place because it can get out of hand. But let’s say you own five acres, so could you have two or three RVs on five acres? Let’s say you can rent out a pad as long as you provide water, sewer and electricity and access for emergency vehicles, those sorts of things.
“Because we are not going to stop people from living in RVs, whether we like it or not.”