Andrew Parr (Associate VP Student Housing and Community Services, UBC) and Mike Porritt (VP Scion Group Advisory Services) are interviewed by Wes Deese of Student Housing Insight about the student housing situation in Canada and how the national housing crisis is impacting and off campus housing for students.
Andrew leads the largest housing program in Canada with over 16,000 beds and plans to continue growing the housing capacity on campus for students, staff, and faculty in one of the most expensive cities to live in Canada. UBC has led the way in adding capacity and the creation of a housing trust to add capacity separate from university finances as well as keeping the belief that if UBC is going to continue drawing international students at high rates, it needs to provide a place for them to live.
Mike speaks of how the dramatic shifts in the source countries of international students coming to Canada are impacting student housing needs and how existing housing can be adapted as well as new housing designs are better fits for more of our students. The impacts on housing for students on and off campus are discussed, as how the student housing shortage is being attacked while the country suffers an overall shortage of housing.
The Student Housing and University Real Estate (SHURE) event in Vancouver (April 19-20) will feature both Mr. Parr and Dr. Porritt as featured speakers. It will address the issues facing student housing and university real estate in Canada with a focus on Western Canada.
Read the full article here.
