City councillor says Vancouver should rethink bylaw prohibiting more than 3 unrelated people living together

A Vancouver city councillor says the city should take a harder look at a bylaw that places limits on the number of unrelated roommates allowed to live together.

"I think we have to be mindful of wherever these policies take us," said Coun. Pete Fry, speaking about the city's policy of not allowing more than three unrelated people to live together.

His comments came during an instalment of Roomies, a radio series airing this week on CBC British Columbia morning shows, which explores the benefits and drawbacks of intergenerational living.

Fry acknowledged that due to the high cost of living in Metro Vancouver, many unrelated persons have chosen to live together in one dwelling.

He did himself during his younger years.

Fry said the bylaw is a legacy of a bygone era in the early 20th century when many large homeowners were taking in multiple lodgers to make extra cash. Now, in the 21st century, Fry said many living situations have changed in the city.

"One of the things we hear with the new three-bedroom apartment units ... they're so expensive ... typical families ... can't afford them, and they're more viable for a collection of working adults to afford."

Fry said the bylaw is rarely enforced, if at all.

Community builder and creator of Vancouver's Collective Houses Network, Dr. Collin van Uchellen, has been living collectively with unrelated people in the city for more than 30 years. 

Van Uchellen said collective living gives his life a sense of community, and he does so by choice.

"It's lovely to come home and have roommates around I can connect with on a day-to-day basis. I don't have to plan that in advance ... because I have that built into my own home," he said.

Living with multiple working roommates means that together they can afford a larger residence, he added.

With files from The Early Edition and Amanda Poole