Concept image for the first ever student housing building at Okanagan College's Vernon campus (photo courtesy of Okanagan College)

By Liam Verster

100 Student Beds, 44 Childcare Spaces

Construction underway for OC Vernon’s student housing, childcare centre

Apr 21, 2023 | 4:10 PM

Okanagan College’s Vernon campus is set to have its first ever on-campus housing ready for the 2024 school year.

Construction has begun on the new building, located next to the trades building and overlooking Kalamalka Lake.

Construction has begun on Okanagan College Vernon’s first ever student housing and childcare building (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

Once complete, the building will be home to 100 student housing beds and a childcare facility with 44 available spaces.

Speaking with Vernon Matters, Okanagan College President Neil Fassina said the project is important for both students and the surrounding communities of Coldstream and Vernon.

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“It’s such an important element when you think about students, whether they’re from Vernon or from regional communities, to be able to come into communities, stay on campus, live on campus and participate and not have to worry about where they will be living,” Fassina explained.

“They’re going to be able to concentrate on the learning that they’re going to have to do and actually be part of the community 24 hours a day.”

Once complete, the new building will be able to house 100 students in two styles of units.

A concept image for the new student housing building at Okanagan College Vernon (photo courtesy of the Okanagan College)

“It’s going to be a combination of micro-suites and quad-suites,” Fassina stated.

“Within the micro-suites, each one is going to have the ability to cook for themselves, whether or not it’s a table-top cook-top, as well as fridge facilities and things of that nature. Within the quads you’re looking at four bedrooms and then a single kind of common living area within it.”

The goal is to have the units affordable, with Fassina not being able to provide estimated rental rates but confirming the goal is to have them below market rates.

“These are students that are working as a student full-time, many of them are going to have a job that goes along side of that, but really what we’re trying to do is make it so not only is the housing achievable for them, but the cost of that housing is also achievable.”

He added the number of units does not account for a very large portion of the students that attend Okanagan College Vernon, but it does reflect “an important percentage” due to the impact the current housing market is having on students, and adding it should take a bit of pressure off the broader scope of housing availability for others.

“We’re anticipating this thing will be full almost immediately and the demand on it is one of those things we wish we could keep building more and we’ll continue to try as we move into the future to put more beds online,” Fassina said.

Fassina noted the childcare aspect of this project is also very important.

A concept image for the Sunflower Childcare Centre attached to the student housing building (photo courtesy of Okanagan College)

“As you can imagine, when a student is thinking about persuing their learning career, they’re facing obviously the goals they want to achieve but also some of the barriers they are going to be facing along that route, whether or not it’s affordability or housing or, in so many cases, it’s about child care,” Fassina told Vernon Matters.

“So the idea of being able to have a 44 seat childcare facility directly on campus, directly tied into our student housing facility, enables us to be able to make it so those student parents are able to concentrate on what’s important, and that’s the learning they’re trying to achieve.”

The plan for these 44 spots is to offer them at the subsidized $10/day rate, though that still requires approval from the province.

Once operational, the child spaces will be prioritized for students attending OC Vernon, though the general public would also be able to apply for the spots.

Construction of the building’s footings were underway as of Friday, April 21, and Fassina said the goal is to have the building completely constructed and operational in time for students to move in for the 2024-25 school year.

Several local leaders attended the announcement of the construction project being underway, and all were very pleased.

“Two big things: accommodation for college students is needed, so fantastic about the 100 beds, just a tremendous addition to the whole community. Secondly, childcare: anybody who’s had children who’s trying to get post-secondary education, it’s always a challenge, particularly even more complex if that childcare isn’t anywhere close to where you’re being a student. So a fantastic combination of accommodation for college students and day care as well,” Victor Cumming, Vernon mayor, told Vernon Matters.

“We think it will be helpful in regards to rental units in the District of Coldstream where it frees up some space and students have a place to be, so we’re very very pleased,” Coldstream Mayor Ruth Hoyte said, adding the project will also be helpful in drawing in foreign students and making Greater Vernon a more appealing “destination for education.”

“When we think about it, some of the most important commodities that we have, one is education and the other one is youth. It’s so very important to nurture that and have that because education is a great leveler, education does have the ability to make us all equal and knowledge should always be shared, but even more so, used,” Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis stated at the event at OC Vernon.

The project is supported by a provincial investment into Okanagan College campus housing. The Vernon campus is using $18 million in provincial funds to develop the new building. Another $36.4 million has been committed for a 216 bed housing project at the Kelowna campus, with another $13.1 million supporting a 60 bed housing project at the Salmon Arm campus.