For many homebuyers, the dream is a spacious home on a sprawling tree-filled lot, with plenty of room for everyone in the family to enjoy their own space. For others their dream home is a little… tinier.

As Canada’s red-hot real-estate market has left some first-time homebuyers on the outside looking in, many have started to think outside the traditional housing box. While super-chic tiny homes have been the stuff of Pinterest dreams in recent years, they increasingly offer a practical solution for Canadians who are determined to own a home, and don’t mind giving up a few hundred square feet along the way.

Price is a major motivator behind the newfound popularity of tiny homes. While the average selling price for a home in Ontario shot up to a record $890,035 in March, modern tiny homes offer all the comforts of a traditional home with a much lower financial commitment — think less than $100,000.

No surprise, the increase in demand for these homes has been anything but tiny, with companies across North America now offering prefabricated homes for owners seeking a turnkey solution that’s budget- and eco-friendly.

In Kitchener, Dundee Mobile Storage created an entirely new business, Lagom Container Solutions, selling tiny homes made from shipping containers. Their typical tiny home’s interior features a three-piece bathroom and custom cabinets, and heating and cooling systems similar to many new homes — while meeting all provincial building codes. Their 8x20-foot unit starts at $13,500 empty, while a finished suite can cost $60,000.

Buying a tiny home may be one thing — but where do you put it? Just outside of Goderich, a brand-new community catering to tiny-home owners is making the answer to that question very simple. Bluewater Village is a community on the shores of Lake Huron that features fully-serviced lots capable of accommodating tiny homes and trailers on seasonal and year-round leases. In partnership with True North Tiny Homes, prospective buyers can have their dream tiny home built and secure their dream location in one place.

These tiny homes aren’t just for ardent minimalists with a plot of land and a cozy-living dream. Municipalities, eager to curb suburban sprawl and increase densities in their cores have increasingly embraced the idea of secondary homes, allowing homeowners to build small detached homes on their property to be rented. In Hamilton, where councillors recently approved new regulations for secondary homes, the maximum size for these detached units is capped at 800 square feet. The availability of these new, small homes in the city is expected to play a key role in ensuring housing availability in Hamilton, with the city projected to grow by 236,000 people to 820,000 by 2051. 

In addition to serving as rental units, many tiny secondary homes have been used by families to create in-law suites or offer older teens a private space to live, creating a modern form of multi-generational living.

As the real-estate market continues its red-hot run, Canadians are expected to continue seeking out affordable housing alternatives, with tiny homes offering an appealing solution that delivers the comforts of a traditional space all wrapped up in one cozy package.

Hamilton Tiny Homes Are Coming