How hard is it to start a tiny home community in Canada?

Big Calm Tiny Homesteads is one of the only true Canadian tiny home communities, where you can bring your own tiny home on wheels and rent a full-service pad in a specifically designed community.

Steve, one of the co-owners of the property, has been kind enough to share answers to some of our questions about the process of starting such a community from scratch. See his video answers below.

Why aren’t there more tiny home communities in Canada?

In Steve’s experience, to do it right, you need the help of institutions such as banks/lenders, municipal government, investors, etc. However, most traditional institutions have not yet figured out the “tiny home community” as a concept – and where it fits in with their typical projects.

Is it hard to start a tiny home community in Canada?

Yes and no, says Steve. In his experience, finding like minded people to take part in the project has been very easy. He describes a groundswell of grassroots support for the tiny home lifestyle that helped him and his partner stay motivated while they navigated the tough spots in the process. Have there been tough spots? Yes. Steve talks about focusing on doing things “the right way” despite lack of support from institutions and little interest from traditional real estate investors.

How to buy land for a tiny home?

If you’re thinking of starting a tiny home community of your own, the location will be the most important decision you will ever make. Make sure you have the resources on the land to sustain the number of people you plan to have – a clean and reliable water source will be key.

Additionally, look closely at the zoning of the area. Steve is in an unzoned area of BC, which helps with the flexibility required to build a permaculture-minded community. Even if the area is not subject to municipal regulations, be sure to pay close attention to provincial-level regulations, such as agricultural and nature land reserves intended to preserve farmland and wild nature.

If you are looking to live in a permaculture-style community with stunning views and high-speed internet, check out Big Calm Tiny Homesteads. They are adding pads one by one to keep the community growth sustainable. If you’ve got a tiny home on wheels in the works, they will put you on the list for the next one.