Two new residence halls expand student housing at SFU

Link to photos and b-roll: http://at.sfu.ca/uHxdVs

Students of Simon Fraser University (SFU) have access to more housing options with the opening of two new residence halls at the Burnaby campus this week.

The new halls feature 482 single-occupancy rooms, as well as community and learning spaces, that will give more students an opportunity to grow, develop and enjoy life on campus. 

“We know how challenging it can be to find affordable housing in our region, especially for students,” says SFU President Joy Johnson. “The completion of this project is an important milestone in expanding our housing options. And we've kept our student needs at the forefront in designing these new, modern spaces, which include all the amenities and supports students need to make the most of living on campus.”

The new residence halls offer:

• Accessible room options
• A mix of lounge, community/social space and study space on every floor
• Close to 50 single residence rooms and 15 shared washrooms on each floor.
• Laundry room on every floor

Approximately 60 students begin moving into the new residences this week, in a phased approach that allows for safe distancing under SFU’s COVID-19 protocols. Residence applications are still being accepted for the upcoming fall academic term.

Before students moved in, Gabriel and Angela George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation prepared the residences for students’ arrival through a traditional ceremony to cleanse and purify the energy within the new buildings.

The new residence buildings feature amenity spaces that will serve as a community hub for students, including community kitchens, wellness, music and activity rooms, multi-faith spaces and a learning commons.

“When I first saw the new residences, I was blown away,” says Meagan Bradbury, a fourth year biology major student moving into the residences this week. “I served as a community advisor on the project and feel SFU really took students’ input to heart. I have all the privacy and comfort I need to make the unit my own, along with all the other student supports in place.” 

The opening of the $68.8 million project completes the first phase of a housing plan that will see student housing options at Burnaby campus expand to 3,250 beds by 2035. SFU worked with funding partner Centurion Asset Management to make this project a reality. 

Phase two of the student housing plan is already underway and will include 369 additional rooms and a Housing Services office, which will centralize services for residents and provide space for Residence and Housing staff. It is slated to open early 2023.

For more information about residences at SFU, visit https://www.sfu.ca/students/residences.html

Quotes

“We are extremely excited to continue our national expansion plans on the West Coast and be a part of the new on-campus student housing opportunity for Simon Fraser university students. We understand all the work, planning and execution that goes into providing safe, inclusive and an elevated student housing experience. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with Simon Fraser University on this development” - Greg Romundt President & CEO Centurion Asset Management

“We are building safe and affordable housing so that more students can stay on campus and focus on their studies instead of worrying about finances. These new student beds are part of a larger investment under Homes for BC, our 10-year housing plan. We are well on the way to adding about 8,000 new student housing units throughout the province, and we are thrilled to be working with SFU towards that larger goal.” - Hon. Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training

“On-campus housing provides a safe and supportive community environment that is critical for students to be successful in their studies. These additional spaces at Simon Fraser University will ensure more students can focus on their learning, while building meaningful social connections. The broader community will benefit as well, as these new student homes will help alleviate housing pressures in one of the country’s most competitive rental markets.” - Katrina Chen, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed

CONTACT

BRADEN MCMILLAN, SFU Communications & Marketing 
236.880.3459 | bradenm@sfu.ca

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

As Canada’s engaged university, SFU works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today’s problems. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—SFU has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 127 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 165,000 alumni residing in 143 countries.