Each year the University of Victoria receives more applications than the campus has available beds for in its on-campus housing. However, more than 600 beds will be available in fall 2022.
The New Student Housing and Dining Project began in 2017 and will see the addition of 621 beds, two new buildings and many more amenity upgrades.
Construction began in January 2021 and the first of these buildings will be opened in this spring and student residents will be able to move in for the 2022-23 first term this fall. The second building is expected to be open in early 2023.
“Our primary goal is to give more UVic students the opportunity to live on campus, as this is an incredibly important part of the university experience,” said Joel Lynn, executive director of student services.
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The new buildings will include shared lounges and community kitchens, student pods that are self-contained community units, approximately 40 individual private bedrooms, and shared washrooms, living and dining areas.
The dining hall, which has more than 600 seats, will be a place where students, faculty, staff and community members can access a variety of food options.
A revived outdoor area will implement the Campus Greenway, an east-west multi-modal corridor, and connect the entire residence precinct to the centre of campus.
“We’re making the campus more walkable and bikeable with a better east-west connector as well as creating engaging and comfortable outdoor spaces for students and the broader community,” Lynn said.
Greater Victoria’s vacancy rate remains among the lowest in the country and rents continue to increase. This new development will increase housing stock on campus, added Lynn, meaning fewer UVic students have to struggle to find rental accommodations in neighbouring communities.
