$66.5-million for new student housing at Okanagan College in Vernon, Kelowna & Salmon Arm

The B.C. government has announced $66.5-million in funding for new student housing at three campuses of Okanagan College (OC).

At a virtual news conference Friday, Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu unveiled the details for 376 new student housing beds, with 216 at the Kelowna campus, 100 at the Vernon campus and 60 beds at OC’s Salmon Arm facility.

It will be the first student housing at the Vernon and Salmon Arm campuses, and an expansion for Kelowna.

“The investment will benefit generations of students throughout the region,” Sandhu said.

The MLA also said the projects will use mass timber construction to benefit B.C.’s forest industry.

The projects will include two buildings in Kelowna with 216 beds, worth $36.4 million, one building in Vernon with 100 beds, worth $18 million, and two buildings in Salmon Arm featuring 60 beds, worth $13.1 million.

Construction is expected to start in fall 2021 and be completed in fall 2023.

Jim Hamilton, who will retire after 16 years as president of OC next month, said the new student housing is welcome news.

“Especially at a time when affordable rental accommodation challenges the communities that they serve,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said the $66.5-million is the largest single provincial investment in OC infrastructure in 16 years and signals “another major step forward.”

Premier John Horgan, who spoke from his office in Victoria, said building the facilities with mass timber is a key part of the investment.

“We’re transforming our forest sector, moving from high-volume to high-value production, creating jobs and protecting jobs in resource dependent communities while we’re building out new services for people across the province,” Horgan stated.

Evan Smith, a second year business administration student in Salmon Arm, said housing is a massive, pressing issue for students who are on a strict budget.

“It’s wonderful to know there will be more student housing on campus once the project is completed,” Smith said.