North Bay man says van life helped him reclaim his time — and launch a business

Faith Greco · CBC News

· Posted: May 12, 2025 7:08 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Francois Alaire's location sits connected 4 wheels, has nary ablution and is powered by the sun. But aft astir 8 years successful "the Golden Mullet" — his 1998 Chevrolet explicit van with a fiberglass apical and four-inch assistance — helium says helium wouldn't person it immoderate different way. 

"I had nary existent absorption anterior to van life, due to the fact that I was perpetually pressured by the precocious outgo of living," Alaire said. "It allows maine to conscionable beryllium without those large pressures of maintaining a manner that I was made to judge was the lone way."

The van is designed to spell into the distant areas of bluish Ontario. Inside, there's a tiny descend that uses outpouring water, a fridge, a diesel heater and a propane cooktop. 

The 1 happening missing is simply a shower, which helium manages by jumping successful lakes successful the summertime and utilizing assemblage centres oregon the YMCA successful winter. 

Paying rent oregon surviving connected the road

Alaire's beingness wasn't ever similar this. About six years ago, helium lived successful Ottawa, paying $1,200 a period for a 1 chamber flat – a terms tag that, astatine the time, felt suffocating. 

"I did the mathematics connected however overmuch clip I had to enactment successful bid to spend this apartment, and erstwhile I saw the numbers connected however galore hours I had to commercialized conscionable to wage for rent… I was shocked," helium said. "I asked myself the question, there's got to beryllium a amended way?" 

That question led him to van beingness and helium said that modulation wasn't easy.

He said getting escaped of his possessions felt similar throwing pieces of his past away. 

"I realized done reflection, I had traded my clip for those items," helium said. "Once the downsizing started happening, it's similar I got into a groove, and it became easier and easier."

Now surviving solo with his cat, Alaire is based successful North Bay — a spot helium calls a "dream town" for van life. He often parks successful municipal lots, adjacent beaches oregon retired successful the country. 

Occasionally, he'll enactment successful a Walmart parking lot, but he's ne'er had an contented uncovering a spot to sleep.

A sewing concern venture 

One happening Alaire didn't expect erstwhile helium started this manner was however funny strangers would beryllium — often approaching him erstwhile helium had his doors unfastened to inquire astir the van.

The setup wrong includes privateness curtains helium sewed himself. And helium discovered helium had a endowment for it. 

That passionateness yet grew into a tiny business, LoFoAl Sewing.

"I genuinely don't deliberation it is for everybody, but if it speaks to you successful a sense, I would promote you to adjacent conscionable effort it," helium said.