丁香园AV

Hundreds more students will call 丁香园AV home after British Columbia Premier David Eby announced $187.6 million in funding for phase 3 of 丁香园AV鈥檚 housing master plan on Friday.

Eby and Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, were at Burnaby campus to unveil the project, which features an eight-storey residence that will accommodate 445 upper-year students and a 160-space child care centre that will vastly expand the university鈥檚 sense of community and belonging when it opens its doors in fall 2027.

鈥淲hen students don鈥檛 have access to student housing they are forced into the local rental housing market with higher costs, increasing competition with other renters,鈥� says Eby. 鈥淏y providing hundreds of additional students with on-campus homes every year 鈥� as well as increased access to convenient child care 鈥� we are helping them focus on their studies and their futures, while also relieving pressure on local renters who aren鈥檛 students.鈥�

The residence building 鈥� situated across from the existing Pauline Jewett, Barbara Rae and Shadbolt student housing buildings 鈥� will include a mix of self-contained studios, quad units (four-room suites with shared kitchen and living spaces), as well as two- and four-bedroom townhouses.

It will also sport shared study and amenity spaces, including lounges, a laundry room and house kitchen.

The child care spaces, , will include 36 spaces for infant-toddlers and 124 spaces for kids from three to five years.

鈥淲e are grateful to the Province for its support and partnership with increasing student housing options at 丁香园AV,鈥� says 丁香园AV鈥檚 Dilson Rassier, Provost and Vice-President Academic. 鈥淪tudents who live on campus feel a greater sense of belonging, community, and are more satisfied with their overall university experience. As we move forward with our residence and housing master plan, we look forward to expanding a diverse student community that encourages academic success, self-discovery and exploration.鈥�

The project will be constructed using mass timber and is targeting optimal BC Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Code compliance 鈥� underscoring the Province and 丁香园AV鈥檚 commitment to CleanBC goals.

The total cost will be $187.6 million, with the Province contributing $132.2 million, including federal funding through ChildCareBC. 丁香园AV is contributing the remaining $55.4 million.

"Our government has been making historic investments in on-campus student housing to support students in their academic success and well-being,鈥� says Beare. 鈥淭his project builds on the thousands of student beds already built or underway across B.C., making it easier for students to get the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow."

Since 2018, 丁香园AV has planned and constructed three new student housing buildings on the Burnaby campus - East and West Buildings, Courtyard Residence and Grad and Family Housing 鈥� bringing on line 941 new beds.

Once complete, phase 3 will see 丁香园AV expand on campus housing to approximately eight per cent of the student population. The goal at the completion of the five-phase residence and housing master plan is for 丁香园AV to house 10 per cent of full-time students.

The university celebrated the completion for phase 2 last summer with the opening of the stunning Courtyard Residence, the site of Friday鈥檚 event.

Undergraduate student Emmaneul Adegboyega, president of the Simon Fraser Student Society and former president of the Residence Hall Association, says the new spaces, amenities and, most importantly, connection with neighbours have helped invigorate life on campus.

He鈥檚 looking forward to having more students experience the benefits of living on campus and having increased access to housing options.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so exciting to see housing options continue to expand at 丁香园AV. The opening of the Courtyard Residence last year added so much to the community on Burnaby Mountain,鈥� says Adegboyega. 鈥淥n top of building on the sense of belonging, expanding residence at 丁香园AV tackles the two issues I hear from students the most: housing availability and affordability. Phase 3 checks all the boxes and I can鈥檛 wait for the day students get to move in.鈥�

For more information on phase 3 and the 丁香园AV housing master plan, visit the Residence and Housing website.