Photo: BC Gov't

A new project will provide 220 more units of student housing at UBC Okanagan.

The provincial government is providing the university with a loan for 75% of the $25-million cost, which will be paid back through rental income. The project will also help address a waitlist of more than 1,000 students and a private rental vacancy rate of just 1.9% in Kelowna.

The six-storey Skeena building is being designed to the Passive House standard. Super-insulated "passive" buildings use up to 90% less energy than conventional buildings, dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Romil Jain, president of the UBC Students' Union in the Okanagan, said: "It's great to see the province investing in affordable student housing. As a student myself, we face incredible difficulty finding affordable housing due to the lack of availability and high rental rate. With so many other pressures, the last thing students should be worried about is residence. I look forward to further investment in this sector to help remove this burden of the student's mind."

UBC is also developing a second 220-unit student housing project with dining facilities on the Okanagan campus, called Nechako. Upon completion of the two projects, UBC Okanagan will be able to offer housing to 2,120 students.

Construction work has started for both. Anticipated completion for Skeena is summer 2020. Nechako is scheduled for completion in spring 2021.