CAPILANO University students looking for more housing options in the North Shore will soon find relief.

The university is building its first on-campus housing, creating 362 beds and a 250-seat dining hall at the main campus in North Vancouver.

“We know how stressful it is for some students who are unable to find housing and are balancing long commutes on top of their schoolwork,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, on Tuesday. “To make life easier for students, we are building thousands of student housing spaces throughout the province. The first-of-its-kind new on-campus housing at Capilano University will help ease those pressures, ensuring more students can focus on their schoolwork knowing their housing is secure.”

The Province is providing $41.5 million toward the $58.2-million project. Capilano University is investing $16.7 million in the project. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2023 and complete in late 2024.

Designated for first- and second-year students, there will be priority access for Indigenous students. The six-storey building will include common space, laundry facilities, a First Nations-focused reflection and gathering space, and a dining hall on the main level. The other five floors include a mix of single- and double-occupancy rooms, 12 of which will be accessible units.

“Offering on-campus student housing marks a major step forward for Capilano University,” said Paul Dangerfield, President, Capilano University. “Creating this opportunity for learners to live where they study will bring a pivotal revitalization to our main campus, reduce housing barriers and enhance the experience for student residents.”

This project is part of the Provincial Homes for BC plan, which includes building 8,000 new student beds by 2028 so more people studying in B.C. can have affordable housing alternatives to pursue post-secondary education.

Aligned with the Province’s CleanBC plan, the building will be built with wood framing and mass timber. The dining hall will be built with mass timber and feature a green roof.

Quick Facts

* In the Capilano University fall 2021 Welcome Back survey, 60% of respondents said they need to commute to campus, with 19% of respondents having a commute of more than one hour, and 22% having a commute of 45 minutes to one hour.

* Capilano University has campuses in North Vancouver and Sechelt and provides educational programming in Mount Currie.

* The project is estimated to add 219 direct jobs, and 113 indirect jobs to the economy.

Learn More:

For more information about Capilano University, visit: https://www.capilanou.ca/

BACKGROUNDER
Student housing investments provide homes throughout B.C.

The Government of B.C. is investing in student housing as part of Homes for BC, a 10-year housing plan with 8,000 new on-campus student beds to be built by 2028.

To date, 6,439 new beds (3,552 government funded, 2,887 institutional self-funded) for student housing are open or underway, so more people have affordable housing alternatives to pursue post-secondary education. Provincially funded projects include:

Interior

* 148 beds at Selkirk College in Castlegar (112) and Nelson (36). Total project cost is $24.5 million ($23.6 million provincial funding).

* 376 beds at Okanagan College campuses in Vernon (100 beds), Salmon Arm (60 beds) and Kelowna (216 beds). Total project cost is $67.5 million ($66.5 million provincial funding).

* 220 beds at University of British Columbia – Okanagan in Kelowna. Total project cost is $24.9 million ($18.7 million provincial funding).

* 533 beds at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Total project cost is $38 million ($25.5 million provincial funding).

* 100 beds at the College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. Total project cost is $19 million ($12.9 million provincial funding).

Lower Mainland

* 362 beds at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Total project cost is $58.2 million ($41.5 million provincial funding).

* 469 beds at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Burnaby. Total project cost is $114.5 million ($108.5 million provincial funding).

* 386 beds at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby. Total project cost is $103.5 million ($73 million provincial funding).

Northern B.C.

* 108 beds at Coast Mountain College in Terrace. Total project cost is $21.6 million ($20.6 million provincial funding).

* 12 beds at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George. Total project cost is $5.3 million, fully funded by the Province.

Vancouver Island

* 217 beds at North Island College. Total project cost is $65.9 million ($63.9 million provincial funding).

* 621 net new beds and new dining facilities at the University of Victoria. Total project cost is $229.2 million ($127.9 million provincial funding).