To great evils, small houses. Although fatal for many, the housing shortage will not have got the better of Mariel, an employee of the La Mouche brewery, who, after multiple attempts to find accommodation in Natashquan, is finally happy about her new property.
Finding accommodation as a worker in the region is no small task, whether on an annual or seasonal basis. And even less, to find one at an affordable price. Mariel Jomphe could attest to this for a long time.
After a little over a year of relentless search, no great success in finding a house to rent or an affordable land to buy, the option of the mini-house finally appeared as the best alternative for the brewer who could not bring herself to mind. to continue to live in a shared apartment.
All in cedar clad, this 128 square foot property built by CAMM, a young company from Matane dedicated entirely to the construction of Shelters and Micromaison, finally allows Mariel to have his “home” in his village of ‘adoption.
Minimalism
If the minimum house includes everything necessary to live comfortably, it still represents a small space that requires some adaptation, explains the young woman from Havre-Saint-Pierre who adds that by choosing the path of the minimum house, we choose also that of a simpler way of life.
“Having objects is beautiful, but do I really need them? Do I use them? Does it bring me anything? »She asks loose. The answer is in one word: “minimalism”.
“Living with little makes you appreciate what you have more. Having a smaller living space forces you to have the bare minimum and you get a little taste of it. Everything I have, I use, she explains. The minimaison is a bit in that sense, it’s small, you’re close to your business, it’s just things that bring you good. It forces you to do housework more often too and to slow down ”.
Who says “mini-house” does not necessarily say “mini space”, adds the owner for whom the model not only allows her a privileged contact with the nature which surrounds her, but also to build various projects around her “cocoon”.
She therefore plans to add an annex to her basic construction that would allow her to house a wood stove and a lounge area, noting that she will have to be careful since the municipality’s regulations require that she can continue to be able to move her. home, given its format.
Become owner
Building a project and becoming a homeowner: two desires that Mariel had lived in since arriving in the village, but which seemed difficult to her, especially because of the high cost of materials and the difficulty of finding affordable land.
Especially since the rented house did not allow her to satisfy the desire for commitment and investment of the young 22-year-old owner. “A rented house is not a project,” she says. I wanted a place where I could take my ideas, my construction projects, do something I love and where I really feel at home ”.
Behind this desire to live in a more eco-responsible way inevitably hides the possibility, which is not insignificant, to acquire property at a lower cost. And it is the model of the mini-house that will have enabled him to achieve his dream.
A viable model to respond to the housing crisis?
Housing potential, reduced ecological footprint, reduced costs: does the mini-house model represent the promise of a viable model to meet the housing shortage?
Fanny Lachambre, co-ordinator of COPACTE, recognizes the advantage of the mini-house model due in particular to their low prices and their low ecological footprint, while adding a nuance to it.
“When we talk about revitalizing tourism, we are also talking about attracting families and therefore the micro-house becomes less of a long-term solution. It will welcome workers, yes, but if people decide to settle down and start a family, the lack of space can become a problem, ”she explains, mentioning that the option remains very interesting, however. “handover” periods.
The new mayor of the municipality of Natashquan, Henri Wapistan, also believes that Mariel’s initiative could be articulated as a positive response to the housing crisis which weighs heavily on the region and therefore plans to initiate a reflection in this direction.