Two new residence halls at the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Burnaby campus have opened.

The new halls, consisting of two seven-storey buildings, feature 482 single-occupancy rooms, as well as community and learning spaces. The project is targeting LEED Gold.

“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.”

Designed by Dialog, 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. There are also shared washrooms, laundry, accessible room options and a mix of lounge, community and study spaces. Scott Construction was general contractor.

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.

“This is a very special day for Simon Fraser University students and everyone who has been involved in the important work of increasing on-campus student housing,” says Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training. “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.”