“What we want is a small community within a community.” said Mayor Normand Riopel. “We could help young families and elderly people. It’s big enough for a young couple who want to start owning and might not be able to afford 400 to 500 thousand dollars for a house.”

Mayor Riopel noted that tiny houses are also advantageous for seniors, who otherwise may have trouble taking care of a two-story family home. Tiny homes, unlike trailer parks, are fixed houses with foundations. They are also built with higher quality material and are made to be spacious and compact.

Champlain Township is at the start of the planning phase of this project. The township has not yet found a contractor to invest in the township and build a subdivision of tiny homes. The township would also require bylaw changes to allow smaller buildings, under 425 square feet, to be built in the township.