Whereas the province of BC is facing a housing crisis; And whereas the Province has jurisdiction and is responsible for housing in BC; And whereas the British Columbia Building Code, the Motor Vehicle Act, and the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act create an unclear regulatory environment for local governments: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM encourage the Province to recognize that Recreational Vehicles RVs are used for year-round living, including the development of guidelines for best practices for ensuring health and safety for the use of RVs for year-round living, and for their inclusion within the BC Housing Action Plan.
Ministry of Housing The Province recognises the use of RVs and vehicles as housing for people at risk of and experiencing homelessness. Guidelines or best practices developed to support year-round RV living should include a range of use and support needs, as well as homelessness outreach and response where the living situation may be the result of necessity rather than lifestyle choice. While the BC Building Code sets minimum acceptable safety standards for full-time residences, local governments set bylaws impacting vehicle dwelling through parking bylaws and enforcement. Further analysis must be conducted to determine if recreational vehicles are safe for permanent dwelling or provide an appropriate level of performance. Although the Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act is intended to apply to manufactured homes located in manufactured home parks, it may apply to recreational vehicles that are used by the owner as full-time living accommodation and located on land rented on a long-term basis, even if the land is not zoned or formally used as a manufactured home park. The Act does not apply to living arrangements that are transitory or short-term, such as a one month stay in a municipal campground. If the Act applies, the landlord must provide and maintain the manufactured home park in a reasonable state of repair, and comply with housing, health and safety standards required by law. Tenancies can only be ended in circumstances such as failure to pay rent, cause, or conversion of the park to another use. In the case of conversion, significant notice and compensation must be given to tenants, in recognition of the displacement and financial loss that often occurs because a manufactured home cannot be moved or relocated. Analysis would be required to determine whether provisions such as this are appropriate in cases involving RVs, which are intended to be moved under their own power or easily towed.