Tiny homes study in Sudbury could have big impact on housing shortage
Collège Boréal in Sudbury has received about $360,000 from the federal to finance a study on tiny homes and determine whether they’re an option here in northern Ontario.
The money will go into research, as well as planning and designing a tiny home, said Sabine Bouchard, from the college.
“Planning is really our main objective for year one,” Bouchard said.
“We’re going to be working and including some of our architecture students in the process.”
It’s in the second year when they’re hoping to actually build a tiny home on the Sudbury campus.
“That’s going to include students from our carpentry, welding, plumbing, electricity programs,” she said.
“Then year three is to really evaluate that design.”
Boréal will be working alongside the city as well as an organization called the Tiny Town Association, which was found in Kingston in 2015.
Founder Ed Peterson said the organization is working toward building its first tiny home community, with the intention of building multiple communities across Canada an affordable housing option.
“There are more and more businesses building tiny homes, but our partnership with the college is that we’ll be able to look at how tiny homes (can) be constructed to be affordable and meet the housing needs in northern communities,” Peterson said.
“We’ll be able to look at different building styles and determine … do we need that much insulation? Do we need those thicknesses of walls to be able to build something that’s affordable and easy to maintain.”
He said there are benefits to tiny homes.
“The cost of the unit is still less than any other form of housing, that’s the first benefit,” Peterson said.
“The second one is you can build and move into a tiny house quicker than let’s say an apartment building. An apartment building you have to build the whole thing, versus a tiny home. You can build them one by one.”
He hopes the students helping out with the build in Sudbury will become interested in building tiny homes once they graduate.
“We are working to develop people coming out of college and looking at building tiny homes as a potential job or business,” Peterson said.
“So, with all those things in place, there’s potential for a lot of builders to come on board and build tiny homes.”
Boréal said once the tiny home is built, it’s planning to donate it to a not for profit organization.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.