Housing Guide

The cost of housing in the Metro Vancouver area can vary significantly. The best way to plan for your budget is to look at a range of available units in the location that you plan to live. As a general rule of thumb, the costs tend to be highest towards the west and north sides of metro Vancouver, and lower towards the eastern and southern sides of the metro area.

As a general guide, see the table below for what you can expect to pay in monthly rent. Keep in mind that for some types of accommodations this may not include the cost of utilities (such as electricity, heating, internet, etc.) which could add another $50-150 to your monthly housing costs.

BCIT Student Housing is a group living environment on our Burnaby Campus shared with other students from around Canada and the rest of the world. It is conveniently located near to a number of outdoor and indoor sports and recreation facilities, pleasant Guichon Creek, our campus library, and offers lovely views to the Coast Mountain Range in the distance.

Some off-campus sites of interest within walking distance (or a short bus ride) of BCIT Student Housing include:

• Deer Lake Park
• Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park
• Metropolis at Metrotown
• Shadbolt Centre for the Arts
• Brentwood Town Centre

Space is limited so apply for BCIT Student Housing early if this is your first choice!

For questions such as regarding the status of your application, please contact the BCIT Student Housing office directly.

GEC Living is another kind of student dormitory option with several locations around Vancouver and Burnaby. Although GEC is not affiliated with BCIT, they do sometimes offer exclusive deals for BCIT students and we have heard positive feedback from our students.

Doing a homestay can be a good option for several reasons:

1. You can get to know a local family and learn more about local culture from them.
2. It is generally cheaper than renting an entire apartment.
3. The length of stay is often flexible, making it ideal for short-term stays or even just for your first months here while looking for a more permanent housing solution.
4. Your meals are often included, so you won’t need to spend a lot of time cooking or spend a lot of money on take-out or restaurant food.

Each homestay is different though so it is important that you understand all of the house rules and read carefully through all of the information before signing any contract or agreement.

The following companies offer local homestay options:

• Homadorma
• Lianne’s Homestay
• Home Sweet Homestay
• Vancouver Central Homestay

Subletting can be an affordable, short-term housing option. It is an informal agreement to temporarily take over someone’s rented living space and to pay rent and sometimes utility bills on their behalf. You may or may not be asked to sign any agreement document. Be aware that with no signed agreement to refer to you may have little legal protection if there were to be any kind of dispute. If you are considering a subletting option, stick with people that you either know or who come recommended by someone you trust.

Local friend and family networks as well as the the myBCIT Mobile App (housing discussion forum) are good places to start.

Looking into accommodations listed on vacation rental sites such as Airbnb and VRBO may expand your options. These are generally intended for short-term bookings and tend to be more expensive than any of the above options. However, vacation rentals may allow you to book the exact dates of your choosing and some offer discounted weekly or monthly rates.

Once you have been living in the region for a while, you may consider looking to rent an accommodations off-campus on your own or with family or friends. Various listing services have housing options, but be aware that these are typically unverified and there may be some fraudulent listings. See below for how to avoid scams and what you should be aware of before signing any lease.

Here are several listing services for housing in the Vancouver area:

• Rentals.ca Vancouver
• Craigslist Vancouver – Housing
• Kijiji – For Rent (Greater Vancouver area)

This list is provided for informational purposes only. We do not endorse any of these particular companies, nor do we take any responsibility for any interactions students may have with them.

Be aware that unfortunately there are bad actors out trying to steal money from other people. A common scam involves fraudulent housing listings that often appear “too good to be true” and require payment to be sent in advance. When the victim arrives in Canada, they realize the place that they paid to rent doesn’t exist and the money along with the scammer are nowhere to be found. For your own well-being, we advise against transferring funds for housing before you travel to Canada unless you are absolutely sure that you can trust the other party involved.

Learn more about rental scams from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.