Tiny houses may be the next big thing in Edmonton

The houses might be tiny, but space-saving dwellings are becoming a growing trend in the city.

The tiny house movement preaches smallerand often more environmentally-friendly homes. While the movement has its foundation in the United States, it's recently become more popular with Edmonton property owners.

Among them is Tracy LaRose. She's currently overseeing construction of a miniscule 240-sq. ft. home that she says will be both portable and self-sustainable.

"It's just to live smaller but live bigger," she said.

"So I can enjoy life more and I'm not always worried about the economic constraints."

According to the city, the average Edmonton home is roughly 1950 sq. ft., nearly double what it was 40 years ago.

While she hasn't yet moved in, LaRose says that, so far, the hardest part of owning a tiny house is convincing other people it is a viable option. However, she has no doubts.

"I'm completely excited (with) the idea of being mortgage-free. I am going to sock away money for my retirement."

She doesn't yet have a place to put the house.LaRose plans to rent some land outside the city.

"I'm going to have in-floor heating, I'm going to have wood-stove heat. It's going to be Canadian-tough," she said.

LaRose isn't the only one smitten with a smaller home. Denna Leslie, who builds tiny houses, says there has been a recent increasein interest.

"(For) a lot of people it's environmental, for others it's just downsizing," she said. "Others, it's just simplicity of life."

It's the latter that appeals to LaRose. Her $75,000 tiny house will come with solar panels and a composting toilet, which she said will make her home self-sufficient.

"It's just less to worry about, less to maintain, less to take care of," she said.

"I'm ready to embrace it and it can't happen soon enough."