Hundreds of people have signed a petition asking the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) to not enforce bylaws that would see RV owners having to move from parking spots every six months.
The RDN is home to around 170,000 people in central Vancouver Island, and directly administers large areas outside the municipal boundaries of Nanaimo, Lantzville, Parksville and Qualicum Beach.
It is seeking public comment as it seeks to update its zoning bylaw, with the regional district seeking to clarify various things — including, most controversially, the use of recreational vehicles.
The bylaw, as it stands, states that long-term stays are not permitted in an RV, and the updated bylaw would clarify that seasonal and temporary stays are not allowed beyond six months in a calendar year.
That’s causing alarm among many longtime RV residents in areas outside municipal boundaries — including Donald (Gator) Varnador, a senior who lives with his wife and small dog.
“Prices of fuel, food, everything has gone up and meagre pensions just are not able to keep up with the increase and everything else,” he told CBC News. “So where would I be? I’d be out on the street, I’d be homeless.
“I hear people always talking about more affordable housing. Well, this is affordable housing. Why do you want to take it away from me?”
Gator has lived in the Riverbend Cottage and RV Resort just outside Parksville for a year-and-a-half, and says there simply aren’t enough RV parking spots in the area to support him moving every few months.
Heather McDonald, who has owned Riverbend since 2005, says the majority of her residents are seniors, along with single men and women with few other places to go.
The resort has over 100 fully equipped RV sites, with plumbing services provided to residents. Over half of the sites are estimated to be occupied as full-time homes.
“It’s a community here, so it’s a lot different than apartment-style living where you might not even know your neighbour,” she said. “Here, everybody looks out for each other.”
McDonald says she hadn’t heard about restrictions on her residents regarding how long they could stay, and said the thought they’d have to move every six months was shocking.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous to ask seniors to move on a constant basis,” she said. “One of our primary things is shelter — you know, human existence needs shelter and food and water.”
The regional district on Vancouver Island says updated bylaws would mean temporary stays in RVs are only permitted for six months of the year. RV owners say many of them would become homeless under those rules.
Bylaws not enforced: regional district
In response to residents’ backlash, the regional district says there have always been bylaws on the books that say RV living isn’t allowed in the area — but bylaw inspectors have never enforced them, as long as vehicles are parked in a safe position and there are no other safety risks.
The RDN says nothing will change on that front in the short term, and it is seeking more feedback on the bylaw changes before proceeding.
Regional district chair Vanessa Craig says she has heard the feedback from residents regarding how many of them could become homeless if forced to move, and said a committee has moved to formalize the lack of enforcement.
The bylaw, which will go before the RDN in July, will suspend enforcement until a more formal review of the region’s affordable housing options is completed.
The RDN says it recognizes the use of RVs as affordable housing, and will look to address housing affordability in rural areas.
But that isn’t much reassurance to RV owners like Gator, who would prefer the bylaw be struck off the books entirely.
“I’m scared that … they’re going to try to make us feel at ease and comfortable by saying, ‘We’re not going to enforce it,'” he said. “And then, later, they’re going to slam the door on you.”