UBC has a property portfolio of 1,390 apartments, cityhomes, and townhomes, built exclusively for UBC faculty and staff and their families. They are leased and managed by Village Gate Homes, an affiliate of UBC.
Village Gate Homes is currently accepting applications to join the waitlist for faculty and staff housing.
Before applying, please ensure you have your 7-digit UBC employee ID and employment confirmation letter ready. If you are a new faculty and staff member who has recently accepted a position, you may apply with your signed job offer letter.
The application is free of charge and must be submitted only once for every household. After submission, applications can be modified and updated by contacting our Leasing Administrator at [email protected].
Pertinent information about the move-in date and your housing preferences, such as the number of bedrooms required, pet-friendly suite requests, etc. should be mentioned in the application form.
To apply for housing and join the waitlist, you must be eligible. Eligibility for housing depends on employment status as defined in the employment agreement with UBC.
Current and active UBC employees are eligible. An employment confirmation letter (link to how the letter can be generated) and a 7-digit UBC employee ID are required for registration and at the time of lease signing.
New faculty and staff may apply once they have an accepted job offer and a copy of their signed job offer letter.
To remain eligible for housing, tenants must continue employment with UBC throughout the tenancy. All housing is leased for a minimum 1-year rental contract, which requires you to have at least 12 months of employment term remaining at the time of lease signing. Employment eligibility is verified periodically through UBC Workday during the tenancy.
Applicants are not permitted to have an active Down Payment Assistance (DPA) and/or a Prescribed Interest Rate Loan (PIRL) from UBC.
Only complete and accurate registrations are added to the waitlist; it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the accuracy of their submission.
Submitted applications to Village Gate Homes are shared with UBC so they can administer the taxable benefits and allocation, respectively.
UBC Board of Governors reviews applicants on a priority system based on affiliation with UBC:
When a home becomes available, Village Gate Homes contacts applicants based on their priority status as defined above. Within each of these groups, priority is assessed by the date of entry into the waitlist.
The UBC Board of Governors also has a separate allocation process for townhomes, in which tenured faculty are prioritized.
Several of UBC’s housing assistance programs for faculty and staff are considered income due to the economic benefit provided. The faculty and staff-restricted rental program through Village Gate Homes is considered a taxable benefit by UBC due to reduced market rates. According to Canadian income tax law, any assistance provided for the acquisition or use of a residence is considered a taxable employment benefit.
UBC, as the employer, is responsible for calculating, reporting, withholding, and remitting tax on both cash and non-cash taxable benefits. UBC withholds income tax from an employee’s pay and remits it to the Canada Revenue Agency. The employee is responsible for paying income tax on these benefits, as well as any applicable Canada Pension Plan contributions or Employment Insurance Act premiums. Taxable benefits related to housing will appear on the employee’s pay stub for each pay period and be listed on the employee’s T4 form. For more information, please refer to UBC.
Properties are located largely in the neighbourhoods of Wesbrook Place, East Campus and Hawthorne Place in UBC’s Point Grey campus.
Faculty and staff can choose from available apartments, condos, townhomes, and cityhomes in 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 4-bedroom layouts. Each property has unique features, with some offering dens, balconies, patios, large courtyards, or private entrances.
Lease agreements are for a fixed one-year term and are subject to having at least 12 months of employment term remaining at the time of lease signing.
Ineligible groups include the following (not an exhaustive list):
If you are unsure of your eligibility, please contact UBC Housing, Immigration and Relocation Services at [email protected]. For those who do not meet the eligibility criteria, there are additional rental opportunities available on campus that are not exclusively reserved for faculty and staff.