Find the latest updates and detailed information about Capilano University's student housing development plans.
| Status: | Design 100% complete. Groundbreaking expected late Spring, 2023. |
|---|---|
| Project location: | Main North Vancouver Campus |
| Budget: | $58.4 million |
| Projected completion date: | Anticipated occupancy 2025 |
| Sustainability: | Project will target LEED Gold and BC Energy Step Code 4 |
| Student capacity: | On-campus housing for 362 students |
Project overview
- Construction of a new 362-bed student housing and dining hall building.
- The 8,250 square metre, six storey building includes:
- Café and dining hall located on the main floor (250 seat capacity)
- Resident support offices, a multipurpose room and an Indigenous-focused reflection space
- Total of 362 beds (approx. 72 beds per floor), with shared washrooms, laundry facilities, student study, lounge and kitchen areas on each floor
- Unit types: 52 singles (12 accessible), 154 doubles and one two-bedroom suite for the residence life facilitator
- Secure bicycle storage
- Wood First: Mass Timber incorporated in the gathering area of the dining hall (exposed beams) and wood frame on five upper residential floors.
- CleanBC: Targeting Step 4 of the BC Energy Step Code, indicating an expected GHG emissions reduction of 86 per cent over a baseline of LEED® Gold with natural gas.
Student and community benefits
This Capilano University housing project, the first of its kind on campus, is designed to create a strong statement of contemporary, sustainable housing to:
- Provide new, safe, conveniently located, below-market rate accommodations for students attending Capilano University
- Improve the living and learning experience for students living in residence
- Harmonize with the main Capilano University campus environment
- Reduce numbers of students commuting to and from campus
- Model sustainability in both the built-environment and through operational efficiencies
- Create a vibrant centre of student life on campus
Project updates & community engagement
We appreciate the public interest in this development project. A Virtual Public Meeting was conducted between April 7–21, 2021. Please visit the District of North Vancouver for more information about this event and review the Development Permit Process flyer (pdf).
Frequently asked questions
This Capilano University housing project, the first of its kind on campus, is designed to create a strong statement of contemporary, sustainable housing to:
- Provide new, safe, conveniently located, below-market rate accommodations for students attending Capilano University
- Improve the living and learning experience for students living in residence
- Harmonize with the main Capilano University campus environment
- Reduce residents need to commute to and from campus
- Model sustainability in both the built-environment and through operational efficiencies
- Create a vibrant centre of student life on campus
Currently, Capilano University is leasing an off-campus housing facility and has no housing stock of its own. The building is outdated and located three kilometres from the main campus, not easily accessed between classes. Still, every year, demand for student housing exceeds spaces available—for the Fall 2022 term, residence applications exceeded spaces available by more than 100%. We are operating at 100% capacity.
There is an urgent need to develop on-campus housing to meet the demand of both domestic and international students. Developing the project will contribute directly to the economy, creating an estimated 305 direct and 28 indirect jobs. As borders reopen and international students return in larger numbers, the University needs to be ready to meet accommodation needs of resident students.
As well, the design of the project contributes to British Columbia's sustainability and climate action goals and aligns with the province’s affordable rental housing goals.
Aside from the short-term benefit of construction job creation, the long-term benefits to the project include reduced car traffic by removing commuting students, additional rental stock being opened from formerly occupying students, and the ability of students to remain in North Vancouver seven days a week, frequenting local grocery stores, shops and restaurants.
Locating a residence on campus reduces pressure on local transit and car commuting. Alleviating demand on already limited local rental housing will increase availability and options for other renters on the North Shore and contributing to Homes for BC plan and Clean BC priorities.