Premier David Eby Directs $80 Million to Construct 1,000 Mass-Timber Student Housing Beds

VICTORIA, BC — Premier David Eby and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon announced the deployment of $80 million from the BC Student Housing Strategy to fund the construction of two 12-story prefabricated mass-timber student residential complexes at Simon Fraser University (Burnaby) and the University of Victoria.

Relieving Pressure on Urban Rental Housing Markets

The capital investment creates 1,000 on-campus student housing units featuring integrated communal study spaces, dining halls, and child-care facilities, bringing the total number of new on-campus student beds funded across British Columbia to over 12,000. Housing economists note that adding 1,000 dedicated on-campus units directly removes student demand from competitive private rental housing markets in Vancouver and Victoria, lowering rental pressure for working families.

Premier Eby affirmed that building affordable on-campus student housing helps young people focus on their studies while freeing up hundreds of private rental suites across surrounding communities.

Student Federations and Forestry Sector Praise

BC Federation of Students leaders celebrated the subsidized campus housing expansion for providing affordable rents 25% below market rates.

Engineered wood manufacturers highlighted that utilizing B.C.-harvested mass timber sequesters carbon while supporting domestic forestry jobs.

Groundbreaking Milestones

Site excavation for both university mass-timber student towers will break ground in November 2026, with student move-in slated for autumn 2028.