Van life, the Canadian version

Most van-life advice is written for places where it does not snow. In Canada the build decisions that matter are the ones about cold, condensation and distance between services.

Distance changes the build

Long stretches without fuel, groceries or signal mean water capacity, battery reserve and a spare tyre matter more than interior finishes. Plan the build around the emptiest road you intend to drive.

Cold changes everything else

Insulation, ventilation, heating and battery chemistry all behave differently below freezing. A van that is comfortable in July can be wet, cold and unable to charge its batteries in January.

Where you sleep is regulated

Campgrounds, provincial parks and Crown land each have their own rules, and municipalities set their own bylaws on overnight parking. None of it is uniform across the country.

• ConversionFloor, insulation, electrical, then furniture — why the sequence matters and what to decide before cutting any holes.
• WinterHeating, condensation, batteries in the cold, and winter tyres — what actually goes wrong below freezing.
• RoutesThe Icefields Parkway, the Cabot Trail, the Sea-to-Sky and the long middle of the Trans-Canada.
• AboutIndependent notes on camper vans in Canada.