University of the Fraser Valley to triple student housing by 2024

Finding affordable housing is tough at the best of times.

And perhaps it’s even more difficult for students on a tight budget.

But there’s some good news for future students at the University of the Fraser Valley.

“We are investing in $70.3 million to almost triple the…student housing here at UFV on campus,” said Anne Kang, B.C.’s minister of advanced education and skills training.

“We know that finding housing near UFV’s Abbotsford campus can be a challenge,” she said, noting that many students often face long commutes.

The funding will go toward an $82.3 million project to increase on-campus accommodations for students from 200 to 598 beds.

The money will also be used to expand existing food service on campus, doubling the size of the dining hall.

UFV’s associate vice-president of campus planning, Mark Goudsblom, said the additional housing is crucial “for students to live on campus who otherwise struggled finding affordable housing in Abbotsford and our local communities.”

He said there are always students wait-listed to get into housing, so additional accommodations will help ease that.

“If we look at what the current…rental rates are in our surrounding enivornment, it’s significantly higher than what we’re expecting to be putting out for rental rates for our units here,” he explained.

The new structure will be built next to the current student housing complex.

He also said the new dorms will help improve campus life and create more of a community at the university.

Construction will create 445 direct and 270 indirect jobs.

Work on the project is expected to begin early next year and be complete by 2024.