Squamish’s housing crunch has had no signs of slowing down, prompting more people to embrace the van life.
Escalating rental prices, averaging at least $800 for a single room, coupled with a vacancy rate that’s doesn’t even crack the one-per-cent mark, has made living in a vehicle more appealing than ever.
The Chief once again touched base with some van lifers, who showcased the sometimes-extraordinary means they went through to make their vehicles as house-like as possible.
One person who embraced this lifestyle, Liesl Petersen, made extensive modifications to her vehicle, including in-floor heating, used electric heaters, and a wood stove.
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There were some darker sides to van life.
Some residents have often felt resentment toward those living in vehicles. Complaints of trash, human waste and indefinitely occupied parking spaces were among the concerns voiced in relation to van-lifers.
Perhaps the biggest example of this tension came months ago when a suspect, presumably frustrated that a parking space was being taken, doused a van with paint thinner. RCMP said in July they were looking for information on the matter
