Nearly $90M student housing and dining hall project announced at VIU
Students attending Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C. are getting more on-campus housing options through a massive $87.8-million expansion project.
The project includes 266 new student housing beds and a dining hall by summer 2025.
The province announced it was providing $87-million towards the $87.8-million project on Friday.
"Post-secondary students need access to affordable housing to complete their studies, remove barriers to education and lay the foundation for their future – making them future-ready for the jobs tomorrow," said Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training, Anne Kang, in a statement.
The new housing will increase on-campus student accommodations from 536 beds to 802 beds.
"Secure, stable and affordable housing is essential for students to be successful at their studies," said VIU president and vice-chancellor, Deborah Saucier.
A joint statement by the province and VIU said construction on the nine-storey, hybrid mass-timber building will start in spring 2023.
The space will also include a common area for students to study and gather.
The added housing supports could help improve pressures on the surrounding rental market. Data from the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation shows, the City of Nanaimo’s rental vacancy rate is 1.6 per cent, with the average two-bedroom unit rental costing $1,360 per month.
The statistics are from October 2021. CMHC said it’ll be conducting its next Rental Market Survey in October – with those results published in early 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.