Green Manufactured Home Communities (Parks)

Manufactured home communities (parks) require unique energy solutions. Manufactured home community residents own their own homes but lease a pad rental space from the manufactured home community owner. The community operator provides services like electricity to the mobile home residents within the community. Community residents are able to choose their own home heating, cooling, and hot water systems but those systems may be limited by community capacity. Manufactured home residents typically spend more per square foot for electricity than single-family homes. They also often experience extreme temperature swings and are more reliant on air conditioning than single-family homes.

Nanaimo has 1,652 manufactured home lots in 20 communities. To support these residents, the City and the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) worked with Dunsky Climate and Energy Advisors to develop a Manufactured Home Park Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction Strategy. The guide includes information to support residents living in manufactured home parks who want to improve their home energy systems. A separate section informs park owners and managers regarding community-level considerations that need to be addressed to support resident home heating and cooling choices.

Check out the Manufactured Home Community Energy Efficiency and Emission Reduction Strategy project page to learn more about the manufactured home community energy efficiency and emission reduction strategy.

Energy Efficient Upgrades in Manufactured Home Parks Guide for Residents and Park Managers (pdf)

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Capacity Assessment Grants

A second phase of this project, focusing on community-level barriers to heat pump and EV adoption, is now underway. This phase will include free electrical capacity assessments for select manufactured home communities. Communities will be selected through a grant application process. Successful applications will be selected based on criteria that prioritize emission reduction, need, climate resilience, and equity.

Applications for the electrical capacity assessment grant are now closed. Successful applicants have now been notified.

Electrical Capacity Assessment Grant Guidelines and Criteria

Manufactured Home Community Capacity Assessment Survey

The survey below is for all manufactured home community owners and managers in Nanaimo, although some questions only apply to those who applied for the capacity assessment. I

Electrical Capacity Assessment Grant Questionnaire

Thank you for applying for the manufactured home community electrical capacity grant. The City of Nanaimo is seeking your input on your experience with the grant and how barriers to electrical capacity in manufactured home communities can be addressed. The survey is expected to take 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Section 1: General Questions for all Manufactured Home Community Owners and Managers in Nanaimo

Your name:

Your community (park) name:

Contact information (email or phone number)

Did you submit an application for the capacity assessment grant?

Yes

Other...

If you did not submit an application, why not? Select all that apply

N/A (I did submit an application)

Electrical capacity is not a concern

No or very few requests for electrification

Recent upgrades for the on-site electrical system completed

Application process was too confusing

I did not have the information that was required to apply

Eligibility criteria

Evaluation criteria

Other...

If you submitted an application, why did you choose to apply to the grant? Select all that apply

Resident requests or concerns for electrification

Aging electrical infrastructure

Uncertainty of the condition of the electrical infrastructure

Interest in improving resident services

Free assessment services

Other...

What are the top challenges to making electrical capacity upgrades? Select all that apply

The upfront cost of the upgrades.

Concerns about cost recovery (e.g. from rent)

I don’t think any upgrades or changes are necessary.

Lack of time to complete the upgrades

Lack of understanding related to what needs to be done.

Lack of contractors to complete the work

Uncertainty on whether to engage BC Hydro.

Uncertainty of the benefits of upgrades

Other...

What solutions (financial, technical, coordination, etc.) could government, utilities, and other stakeholders offer to help community park owners manage the cost of necessary electrical upgrades?

Section 2: Questions for applicants not selected for the grant (Skip this section if you were selected for a grant or did not apply)

Would you apply again if the grant was offered in the future?

Yes

Other...

How could the City improve the grant application process (application form, information required, evaluation criteria, etc.)?

Do you have any other feedback for the City on the capacity assessment grant?

Section 3: Questions for selected applicants (skip this selection if you were not selected to receive a capacity assessment)

How useful was the capacity assessment overall for you to understand the current electrical capacity and upgrade options?

very useful

somewhat useful

neutral

not very useful

not useful at all

Were the results of the capacity assessment what you were expecting in terms of your existing electrical capacity and the cost of upgrades?

Are you planning on taking next steps as a result of participating in this grant (e.g., electrical upgrades, load sharing solutions, home heating efficiency, etc.)?

Yes

If you are planning on taking steps, please describe those next steps

If you are planning on taking steps, how confident do you feel in your ability to navigate and complete those steps?

Very confident

Somewhat confident

Neutral

Not very confident

Not confident at all

Other...

If you are not planning on taking the next steps, why not? Select as many as apply:

The upfront cost of the upgrades.

Concerns about the ability to recover costs (e.g., from rent).

I don’t think any upgrades or changes are necessary.

Lack of time to get the work done.

Lack of understanding related to what needs to be done.

Lack of contractors to complete the upgrades

Uncertainty on whether to engage BC Hydro.

Uncertainty of the benefits of upgrades.

Other...

What solutions (financial, technical, coordination, etc.) could government, utilities, and other stakeholders offer to help community park owners manage the cost of necessary electrical upgrades?

What was the most valuable information or insight that you learned through the capacity assessment project? For example, you may have learned it from Solutions report , BC Hydro data, on-site visit with Prism, conversations with Prism, etc.?

Will the result of the capacity assessment impact your decision to allow heat pumps and EV chargers in your community?

More likely to allow

No change

Less likely to allow

Unsure

Do you have any other feedback for the City on the capacity assessment grant or overall electrical capacity grant impacting manufactured home communities?

Important Information About Privacy

Information collected on this form is done so under the general authority of the Community Charter and Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act (FOIPPA), and is protected in accordance with FOIPPA. Personal information will only be used by authorized staff to fulfill the purpose for which it was originally collected, or for a use consistent with that purpose.

For further information regarding the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, please contact the Legislative Services Office at 250-755-4405 or at foi@nanaimo.ca

Last updated: December 10, 2025

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