Thompson Rivers University

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KAMLOOPS - The provincial government has announced more affordable on-campus housing for TRU students, including those with families.

"We're opening the door to opportunity, by helping people find an affordable place to call home, while they pursue their studies," Premier John Horgan said in a news release today, June 22. "Building student housing will help young people, families and people from neighbouring communities access post-secondary education and skills training.

Horgan adds the project will ease pressure on the off-campus rental market, creating more housing options for Kamloops residents. The $37 million student housing project is adjacent to the campus and will create more than 500 additional homes for students.

"Students throughout the province have told our government the lack of affordable housing has stood in the way of their education and aspirations," Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, says in the release. "In this year's budget, we committed to fixing this problem. The additional housing for students at TRU is the first of thousands of student homes we're going to be adding on campuses around the province. With more student housing, TRU will continue to be an education destination of choice."

With support from the provincial government, TRU is buying Upper College Heights, a six-building private rental complex with nearly 400 student homes. Housing on the site will be expanded, creating the additional home. The purchase includes an additional 3.4 hectares that can be used for creating more student housing in the future.

"When students have access to homes they can afford, they can focus on their studies, without the stress of trying to find a suitable place to live," Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, says in the release. "At the end of the day, the benefits of this investment will be felt by the entire community. More on-campus spaces for students will increase the availability of rental housing in the wider community, and that will help improve the affordability of rental housing for everyone in Kamloops."

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