Premier David Eby announced Friday the province’s plan to build a new student housing and child care facility on Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus.
Speaking at SFU Friday, the premier announced a new eight-storey residence that will accommodate 445 students, with a mix of shared dorms, studios, and two- and four-bedroom townhouses.
Additionally, the province says the project will also include a 160-space child care centre.
“If you’re going to school and you have a kid, if you need child care, if you need access to childcare, you’re dealing with both the housing crisis and the need to get childcare as well,” said Eby.
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Eby says that the province has achieved its goal of 10,000 more units of student housing in 10 years — two years early.
He says the B.C. government is now committed to a goal of 2,000 more units by 2028.
The SFU project will reportedly cost $ 187.6 million, with the provincial government contributing $ 132.2 million, and the university set to contribute the remaining $ 55.4 million.
The province says the investment in student housing will help more students access post-secondary education and ease the pressure on the local rental markets.
“The new building addresses the prevalent housing crisis in B.C., by providing more beds for undergraduate students and thereby
improving their quality of life and preventing more cases of student homelessness,” said Emmanuel Adegboyega, president of the SFU Student Society.
Construction for the new residence on SFU’s campus is set to be completed in the fall of 2027.