KPU begins student housing process on Surrey campus

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Kwantlen Polytechnic University students could be one step closer to seeing student housing at the Surrey campus. 

The university’s Board of Governors approved a motion on June 28 to develop a business case to the B.C. government for funding the project. 

“I think it’d be a great amenity for students, and it’ll be exciting to get it going,” says KPU Vice President, Administration, Peter Smailes. 

With the business case development approved, Smailes says the next step is to look into the basics of the student housing such as the design, operation, the number of occupants it can hold, cost, level of student priority, and more. 

A 2022 KPU student satisfaction survey found over one-in-five students had temporary or crowded living arrangements with most being international students. Student housing was also identified as a need through consulting students in the KPU2050 Official Campus Plan. 

“Data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation shows rental vacancy rates are below one per cent in the three cities – Richmond, Surrey and Langley – where the university has campuses,” reads KPU’s press release. 

The Surrey campus is the first choice to place student housing due to the demand and location, with the R6 Scott Road RapidBus and KPU’s plan to introduce a daycare being some additional reasons, Samiles says. 

“We looked at demand, and there’s strong demand at the Surrey campus,” Samiles says. “The province is looking for things like transportation lines and daycare, so that works well for [this] campus.” 

After the business case is developed, he says the university will seek approval from the provincial government. If the government approves, they will return to the Board of Governors to get permission to build the student housing once the university receives the funding. 

The motion comes after the provincial government’s Budget 2023 investing $575 million to student housing investments over the next three years, which is why KPU considered an application for funding, Samiles says. 

In 2018, the provincial government created Homes for BC, a 10 year housing plan that provides 8,000 on-campus beds by 2028. 

Depending on the success of the Surrey student housing plan, he could see opportunities to expand housing to the other campuses in the future, excluding Civic Plaza due to the location. 

“We don’t actually have any land there, so that’s one campus I don’t anticipate that we would do student housing,” he says. 

However, Samiles sees the importance of having student housing not only for convenience, but the chance to build long-lasting relationships. 

“It just provides an alternative place for KPU students to come and live,” he says. “I think many students that go through student housing have lifelong friends from [there], I know I do.”

“It’s a great alternative. It’s not for everybody, but I think that for students, it’s a great place. Certainly ones that are moving out, it’s a great transition to being on your own. It allows you to be part of a student community with your living arrangements,” Samiles says. 

For more information on KPU’s campus plans, head to https://www.kpu.ca/campus-and-community-planning/campus-planning.