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RV Types and
Classes of Recreational Vehicles
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What type of Recreational Vehicle are you interested
in?
Maybe you've seen an RV on the highway or in a campground, or maybe
a friend has one that interests you, but you're not quite sure how to
describe it. The pictures, codes and descriptions below should solve
the problem.
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Recreational vehicle means a structure designed
to provide temporary living accommodation for travel, vacation, or
recreational use, and to be driven, towed or transported. Living accommodations
may include sleeping, kitchen, bathroom, and systems for fresh and
waste water, 110/12V electricity, propane, heating, air conditioning,
and entertainment. It has an overall length not exceeding 12.5 meters
(41 ft)* and an overall width not exceeding 2.6 meters (8 ft 6 in),
where the width is the sum of the distance from the vehicle centreline
to the outermost projections on each side (including door handles,
water connections, etc.) when the vehicle is folded or stowed away
for transit. Such structures include folding camping trailers, travel
trailers, fifth wheel trailers, slide-in truck campers and motorhomes.
* For a fifth wheel travel trailer this measurement shall be 11.3
meters (37 ft) taken from the extremity to the front of the main body
measured at the floor line.
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Recreational vehicles are divided into three basic categories:
Motorized RVs, Towable RVs and the Park Models.
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An RV built on or as an integral part of a self-propelled motor
vehicle chassis, combining transportation and living quarters in one unit.
| Class
A Motorhome |
 
The largest of the motorized RVs, is a luxury motorhome unit entirely
constructed on a bare, specially designed motor vehicle chassis. |
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| Class
B Camper Van |
The Class B Motorhome is generally referred to as a Camper Van. This
unit is built using a conventional van to which a raised roof is added.
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| Class
C Motorhome |
Sometimes referred to as a mini-motorhome, a unit built on an automotive
manufactured chassis with an attached van cab section. |
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TOWABLE RVs
An RV designed to be towed by a motorized
vehicle (car, van or pickup truck) and are of such size and weight as not to
require a special highway movement permit. Towable RVs do not require permanent
on-site hook-ups.
PARK
MODELS
Park Models are available in two
different classes: the Park Model Trailer 102 which is built to RV
specifications, the CSA Z-240 Standard, or the Park Model Recreational Unit,
which is designed for seasonal use, generally in just one location, and built to the CSA Z-241 Standard.
| Park
Model Trailer 102 |
 A
unit designed to be towed by a heavy-duty tow vehicle (auto, van, pick-up
truck, etc.) but is of restricted size and weight so that it does not
require a special highway movement permit. The maximum width when being towed
is 2.6 meters (102 inches).
- Designed for infrequent towing, it is not fitted with a 12-volt system for fixtures and appliances. Once on site in the set-up mode it must be connected to the local utilities.
- This recreational vehicle is built on a single chassis mounted on
wheels. It usually has one or more slide-outs, but when in set-up mode
the gross trailer area does not exceed 37.2 sq. meters (400 sq. feet).
It conforms to the CSA Z-240 Standard for RVs.
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| Park
Model Recreational Unit |
 It
is built on a single chassis mounted on wheels, which may be removed
and returned to the factory.- The unit is designed to facilitate occasional relocation, with living
quarters for a temporary residence or seasonal use, and must be connected
to those utilities necessary for the operation of installed fixtures
and appliances.
- It has a gross floor area, including lofts, not exceeding 50 square
meters (approximately 540 sq. feet) in the set-up mode and has a width
greater than 2.6 meters (8' 6") in the transit mode.
- Park Model units always require a special tow vehicle and a special permit
to move on the road as the width of the unit is greater than 2.6 meters.
It conforms to the CSA Z-241 Standard for RVs.
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| NOTE: This definition has
been developed by a joint industry task force of manufacturers, dealers,
campground owners and the Canadian Standards Association and is the basis
for the CSA Z-241 Standard for Park Model Recreational Units. |
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