Cambridge looks to tiny homes to help deal with rising population

Tiny home prototype on display in Cambridge Cambridge is preparing for a population boom and it’s offering up tiny homes as a possible solution. CTV’s Stephanie Villella explains.

A tiny home prototype has been set up outside Cambridge City Hall as a way to give residents a chance to see what one looks like.

The city says tiny homes are a possible solution to help with the rising population.

"It's very difficult to understand the concept of a tiny home just looking at a piece of paper," said Hardy Bromberg, Deputy City Manager of Community Development with the City of Cambridge. "This is a way for the community to come out, have a look."

According to Bromberg, Cambridge will see 50 per cent growth by 2050.

"The City of Cambridge, just like other municipalities within the Region, needs to plan for some significant growth," said Bromberg.

The city recently upgraded its zoning bylaw to allow tiny homes and residential accessory units on residents' properties.

Bromberg said the hope is for homeowners to build a tiny home in their backyard to help accommodate the growing population.

"If someone owns a property, maybe they want to install an accessory residential unit," said Bromberg. "It can either be a mortgage helper, maybe an elderly parent that isn’t quite ready to live in another area. It might be a niece or nephew that’s coming into the community to go to school, it might be a young professional."

The prototype was built in partnership with the University of Waterloo’s School of Architecture.

John McMinn, a professor at the School of Architecture said tiny homes can also help address homelessness.

“It’s relatively cheap, relatively flexible, and they can be used on sites that are temporarily available,” said McMinn.

The structure, which is 12 feet by 18 feet, features an enclosed porch, which helps heat the home.  It can also be used as a green house.

The inside space is insulated and has a kitchenette with a counter top, sink, and mini fridge.

There is also a dining table, seating area, and above it is a bed on a pulley system.

“It goes up and down,” said Bromberg. “During the day time, the bed can be raised and you can have a seating area underneath.  At night, when you want to go to sleep, you can lower the bed.”

Next to the sink is a shower, but there is no toilet in the prototype.

“This might be one option in terms of a communal type living," explained Bromberg. "If you have a common building where you might have cooking facilities and washrooms facility, and yet people can still go and have some private space on their own."

Bromberg said the design can change depending on the person’s needs, and adding a toilet and cooktop is possible.

The starting cost of building a tiny home is $20 000.

Bromberg said if anyone is interested in adding a tiny home to their property, to contact the City of Cambridge.