Wednesday August 21, 2024 | VANCOUVER, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Student housing is a key resource for success on post-secondary campuses across BC. As well, on-campus housing relieves pressure demands on rental housing in particular within the local broader community.
Every fall season as students head to university and college campuses, one of the biggest challenges that face students is finding good, affordable, safe stable housing so they can focus on school and training instead of where they are going to live.
Suitable and available housing on-campus or being otherwise available for post-secondary students is about avoiding a poverty or survival mindset as students are trying to pursue their goals.
UBC president Benoit-Antoine Bacon says on-campus student housing offers a greater sense of belonging that allow students to form connections and build community. “Investing in youth people is so essential for the future of the province,” said Bacon.
See full list of On-Campus Student Housing Investments in BC.
Vancouver Island student housing:
New student housing already open:
- The University of Victoria opened its first 398-bed building with dining facilities in September 2022. The second 385-bed building opened in September 2023, for a total of 783 new beds (621 net new and 162 replacement beds). Total project cost is $242.5 million ($127.7 million provincial funding).
New student housing underway:
- 217 beds at North Island College. Total cost is $77.9 million ($75.9 million provincial funding).
- 266 new student housing beds at Vancouver Island University. Total cost is $103.6 million ($102.8 million provincial funding).
- 423 beds at Camosun College (Lansdowne). Total cost is $154.7 million ($151.7 million provincial funding).
Premier Eby’s remarks at UBC:
A decade ago, government was not allowing universities to build student housing, outlined Premier David Eby yesterday on campus at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “The consequence of that was significant,” he said, adding that “now we’re having to play catchup”.
The government is on target for 8,000 beds of student housing within 10 years, apparently having reached that goal four years early. With a “strong partnership with universities and colleges” the province is now aiming to reach 12,000 beds by 2028.
Eby received a strong burst of applause during his remarks on campus at UBC yesterday in saying that there will be 1,500 newly built student beds at UBC. This will be five buildings on the St John College site (graduate school) including a child care centre, dining hall, academic and office spaces.
“This will help hundreds of students who are looking for housing every year. This it the largest student housing development ever in the history of BC,” said Eby.
“We are not letting up on housing on any front. We’re buying older rental buildings, to protect the tenants in the building. A renter’s tax credit of up to $400. Open more rental on campus but also by cracking down on Airbnb’s. That’s not okay when rental vacancy is below one percent, said Eby.
Project details:
The $560-million student housing project includes 1,508 student beds and is the Province’s largest capital investment and the largest number of student beds. This puts B.C. on track to meet or exceed the provincial target of building 12,000 beds by 2028.
The total project cost is approximately $560 million, with the provincial government providing $300 million and UBC providing $260 million.
To date, 5,260 of these are complete and are now home to students. Projects like this help students find a place to live they can afford and help ease the pressure on stretched rental housing markets in areas like UBC and communities throughout the province.
“Student housing is an important part of our work to tackle the housing crisis and deliver more homes for people, faster,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing.
“With more affordable housing on campus, students can travel less, save more, and have more opportunity to focus on their studies. Increasing the supply of student housing also takes significant pressure off the local rental market. This project is a win-win for students and for the community,” said Kahlon.
The complex will be built in the Lower Mall Precinct at UBC. It includes:
- five buildings, ranging from eight to 18 storeys, with 1,508 new student housing beds (1,333 new and 175 replacement);
- a 400-seat dining hall;
- 37 new child care spaces;
- common amenity space; and
- academic and administrative office space to accommodate the displaced St. John’s College.
Focus on graduate students:
The new buildings will focus on providing homes to graduate students. Child care on campus will make it easier for students, faculty and staff with children to streamline their daily routines through one nearby drop-off and pickup location.
Construction is set to begin in fall 2026. The project is expected to be open for students in phases, starting in fall 2028 and completing in fall 2029. Design and construction of the complex will target LEED Gold. One of the five buildings will be built using mass timber.
“We are grateful to the B.C. government for this historic $300-million investment in the UBC Vancouver campus,” said Benoit-Antoine Bacon, president and vice-chancellor of the University of British Columbia. “This support, along with UBC’s contribution of $259.9 million, will be transformative in providing much-needed additional student housing and child care for our community. By working together, we are alleviating significant pressures on our students and the local rental market, and further enhancing an environment where academic excellence and personal well-being can flourish.”
