More students will have access to affordable on-campus housing at the University of British Columbia thanks to a new student residence complex coming to the Vancouver campus.
The total project cost is $559.9 million, with the provincial government contributing $300 million and UBC providing the remaining $259.9 million. The funding is the most significant provincial contribution to a single building project in UBC's history.
"We are grateful to the B.C. government for this historic $300-million investment in the UBC Vancouver campus," said UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Benoit-Antoine Bacon. "This support will be transformative in providing much-needed additional student housing and childcare for our community. By working together, we are alleviating significant pressures on our students and the local rental market, and further enhancing an environment where academic excellence and personal well-being can flourish."
The project will feature five new student residence buildings on the Lower Mall Precinct of UBC's Vancouver campus, currently the site of St. John's College (click here for location). One of the buildings will be an eight-storey hybrid mass timber and wood frame structure. The complex will include 1,508 student housing beds (1,333 new and 175 replacement) with a focus on graduate students, as well as 37 new childcare spaces, a 400-seat dining hall, common amenity space, and academic and administrative office space.
"We know people want to find homes near where they live, work and study in British Columbia," said Premier David Eby. "Our government is building on-campus housing at an unprecedented pace - including our biggest project to date right here at UBC - helping more students find a safe, secure and affordable place to call home and relieving pressure on the rental market."
The residence units will be self-contained suite-style units, primarily consisting of independent studios, four-bedroom shared units and a mix of two-to-three-bedroom units, which may support students with families or multiple single students, depending on demand. There will also be about 400 additional units without kitchens. There will be an event space, fitness and games rooms, music practice rooms, laundry facilities, study rooms and administrative offices.
UBC is the largest university provider of student housing in Canada with 16,003 beds on its two campuses (13,883 in Vancouver and 2,120 at UBC Okanagan). The university has invested $700 million to build more than 6,000 new below-market-rate student residence beds over the past 14 years on the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
"Despite that growth, demand continues to outpace supply, and this project is important for our students," said Andrew Parr, associate vice-president, student housing and community services.
"The funding announced from the province, coupled with UBC's investment, is a critical step forward in advancing UBC's Campus Vision Plan 2050 and Housing Action Plan, in which we commit to delivering 3,300 new beds on the Vancouver campus and 500 new beds on the Okanagan campus by the mid 2030s."
Construction is set to begin in fall 2026. The project is expected to become operational in phases, starting in fall 2028 and completing in fall 2029. Design and construction of the complex will target LEED Gold.
The redevelopment of the St. John's College site aligns with the strategic goals outlined in UBC's Campus Vision 2050 plan for the UBC Vancouver campus, recently adopted by the Board of Governors in December 2024.
About Campus Vision 2050 and the Land Use Plan
UBC's Land Use Plan establishes generalized land uses and development policies for the Vancouver campus. A major amendment to the Land Use Plan was adopted by the B.C. government in July 2024, which enables the university to begin implementing the ideas, policies and strategies developed with the community through the Campus Vision 2050 process, including UBC's Housing Action Plan commitments.
Campus Vision 2050, which sets a long-term vision for the physical campus, was shaped by input from thousands of UBC community members, campus residents, Musqueam, and Indigenous community members over a two-year period. Together with the updated Land Use Plan, Campus Vision 2050 enables the residential campus population to double by 2050, with half of the residents living in below-market rental rate accommodations.
As part of UBC's recently updated Housing Action Plan, up to 40 per cent of new campus neighbourhood development will be rental, with at least 25 per cent designated as below-market rental for faculty and staff, and up to 15 per cent as market rental for those who work or study on campus. Additionally, the plan includes increasing on-campus student housing to at least 17,300 beds, up from the current 14,000. This housing growth will also be supported by a comprehensive suite of amenities and services, as well as strong climate action commitments and policies.
