CAA-Quebec: auxiliary heating for vanlife

On Saturday, Sept. 12, Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) quickly located and rescued an injured camper on the Aberdeen Plateau. The call came from local RCMP around 7:30 a.m. after the camper dialed 911. A crew of six in three vehicles, along with ATVs, reached the site by 9:45 a.m., assessed the camper, moved him to a vehicle, and transported him to a waiting ambulance.

A motorhome was found fully engulfed in flames in a parking lot behind Surplus Herby's on Tranquille Road in Kamloops, British Columbia. Kamloops Fire Rescue responded at around 12:00 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11. Platoon Chief Jim Gorman said the motorhome was far enough from the building that the fire did not spread. Crews with an engine from Fire Hall No. 2 put out the fire. Kamloops RCMP arrived and spoke with the motorhome owners.

A couple from Quebec built an expedition camper on a new four-wheel-drive Ford F-550 chassis. The 4-meter-long, 3.6-meter-high habitation box is bolted to the frame; the total length is 7.3 meters. The interior includes a kitchen with a stove and refrigerator, a wet bath with a composting toilet, a wood stove, a dinette, and an overcab bed. Water capacity is 200 liters, solar panels produce 900 watts, and EcoFlow batteries provide 7.2 kWh. Each camper cost about CAD$40,000 excluding the truck.

Tim and Katie from British Columbia, Canada, converted a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter into a two-story mobile home for a family of four. The build features a hard-sided carbon-fiber roof tent weighing around 220 pounds (100 kg), a kitchen with an Invisacook induction cooktop, an indoor wet bath, and a 24-volt electrical system with five 100-Ah Volthium batteries providing approximately 13.5 kWh. The van is based on a dually AWD Sprinter with a 170-inch wheelbase, converted to super singles with Reika wheels and Falken Wildpeak AT4W tires, and has a 2-inch suspension lift via the Agile Off-Road RIP Kit. Sleeping space is provided for up to five people, including a convertible dinette and front seats. The roof tent shown is a Gen 2 wedge design not currently in production or available for sale in the United States or Canada.

Canadian manufacturer Pleasure-Way Industries, previously producing only Class B and B+ motorhomes, has announced its first travel trailer, the Everbound. The physical debut is scheduled for later this month at the Hershey RV Show. The 21.5-foot (6.53 m) trailer on a tandem axle with independent suspension is offered in three floorplans, including a couple's version. Standard features include 500W solar, a 3,000W inverter, a 460Ah lithium battery, a 25-gallon (95-liter) freshwater tank and two 26-gallon (98-liter) gray and black water tanks. Dry weight is 5,800 lbs (2,631 kg), GVWR is 7,700 lbs (3,492 kg), and cargo capacity is 1,900 lbs (862 kg). MSRP starts at US$90,870.

RVDA of Canada reported three developments following tariff changes effective Sept. 8. Motorhomes and caravans entering Canada remain exempt from counter-tariffs, but certain RV-related products of U.S. origin are now subject to additional surtax based on HS classification. The government allocated $3.45 billion over four years to the Regional Tariff Response Initiative to support small and medium-sized businesses.