More than 500 new student beds are coming to the University of Victoria (UVic), with funding approved for student housing designed for upper-year undergraduate and graduate students.

“Our government is building the infrastructure that growing communities need, and investing in on-campus housing benefits both students and the broader community,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “With over 500 new beds on campus, more students can learn closer to home while relieving pressure on the local rental market.”

This new student residence will enable more students to live on campus, building the campus community and providing students with greater access to on-campus supports and resources. It will also expand housing options for upper-year undergraduate and graduate students. For those who apply in time, first-year UVic students are currently guaranteed housing to help ease the transition to university.

The new building will include:

• a highrise tower with 360 beds in 90 four-bedroom apartment-style units for upper-year undergraduate students;
• a seven-storey adjacent wing will contain 150 studio apartment units for graduate students;
• amenities for students to connect, including a student lounge, outdoor and multi-purpose spaces, and a community kitchen; and
• secure athletic storage for sports equipment and bicycles.

“An important part of building a stronger B.C. is ensuring post-secondary students have a clear path to get the skills and training they need to secure a great job in their field, and that means making sure they have access to good supports while in school,” said Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “Access to safe and secure on-campus housing means students are closer to services and can spend more time focusing on their studies.”

Delivering a fully electric, zero-carbon building designed to achieve LEED Gold certification supports the objectives of CleanBC and UVic’s climate and sustainability action plan. The building will serve as a model of climate-resilient design and demonstrates the Province’s commitment to a more sustainable future.

“The new student residence will be transformative for our upper-year undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom face challenges finding affordable housing near campus,” said Qwul’sih’yah’maht, Robina Thomas, acting president and vice-chancellor, University of Victoria. “Living on campus gives students better access to academic and wellness supports and strengthens their connections to peers, which allows them to help focus on what matters, their education.”

The estimated capital cost of the project is $178 million, with $121 million from the Province and $57 million from UVic. Construction is expected to start in spring 2026.

Since 2018, the Province has committed $2 billion to build on-campus student housing at post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. To date, nearly 6,900 student housing beds have been built throughout the province, with another 4,800 underway.

Quotes:

Diana Gibson, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head –

“This new housing will provide students with stable, affordable homes right on campus, helping them focus on their studies and thrive in our community. It will also help to reduce the pressure on housing near the university, making housing more accessible for families in the region. It’s a meaningful investment in community, the future of higher education and in the people who help drive it forward.”

Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill –

“Affordable, accessible housing is key to student success. By expanding on-campus options at UVic, we’re not only supporting learners, we’re also helping to reduce demand on the broader rental market. This is a meaningful investment in education and in our community.”

Nina Krieger, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake –

“This investment in student housing at UVic is a win for our entire community. It means more students can live where they learn and it helps ease the pressure on Victoria’s tight rental market. It’s a smart, sustainable step forward for students and for housing in our region.”

Rosemary Webb, chair of the UVic Graduate Student Society and PhD student in linguistics –

“The addition of dedicated graduate and upper-level undergraduate housing on campus will be highly impactful for our students, many of whom currently live quite far from UVic and miss out on a lot of the student experience. When students live on campus, they get to spend more time engaging with UVic services and resources, developing their research and studies, and building community with each other, which ultimately brings so much vivacity to the university.”