Imagine a medium-sized city in British Columbia such as Chilliwack. Now, imagine all the city’s residents living or coming to UBC Vancouver every day. With a daytime population of about 80,000 people, including students, staff and faculty members, UBC is dedicated to improving access to more affordable and secure housing options on campus and beyond.
Through the UBC Housing Action Plan, the university is working to promote extensive housing programs that help faculty and staff feel part of a vibrant community.
“We are developing communities of the future, centred on social interaction and affordability,” says Michael White, associate vice-president of Campus and Community Planning. “The vision is to have faculty, students, staff and residents at the heart of vibrant and sustainable neighbourhoods that are connected to the region by efficient transportation options.”
UBC is one of the few Lower Mainland employers to offer significant levels of housing for employees – including 700 below-market rental units for faculty and staff.
The efforts towards improving housing affordability and extending rapid transit are just some examples of how the university is building a more diverse, inclusive, safe and vibrant workplace, as envisioned by Catalyst #1 in the Focus on People 2025 framework.
Read this UBC News article to learn more about the university’s initiatives towards creating more connected and sustainable communities.