[An image of  a room. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

Students at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) will soon have expanded on-campus housing options following the official opening of a major residential project in Abbotsford this March, 2026.

On March 17, the B.C. government announced the opening of the new student housing complex alongside an expanded dining hall, enhancing infrastructure for the UFV campus.

The project adds nearly 400 new student beds and increases the university’s on-campus housing capacity to almost 600 beds in total.

According to the province, the new six-storey residence provides nearly 400 beds for students. 

The government noted that this opening more than triples UFV’s on-campus housing capacity for UFV students in the Fraser Valley.

Specifically, the university’s project page describes the development as a 398-bed facility at the Abbotsford campus.

Additionally, the project includes a larger dining hall.

The Cascade Cafe, which serves students on campus, underwent renovation and expansion as part of the same project.

According to the provincial release, the dining hall now boasts 350 seats, a significant increase from 121 seats before the expansion.

The province also mentioned the project adds 230 new dining seats and improves food service for students living on campus and for the wider UFV community.

Officials state the new housing is designed to help students focus more on school and spend less time worrying about where to live.

The province said the residence is expected to alleviate pressure on the local rental market by allowing more students to live where they study.

UFV’s project office further emphasized that the development was designed to make it easier for students to find safe, affordable housing in Abbotsford.

The residence includes a mix of living options and shared student spaces.

The provincial release reported the building contains four bedroom units, studios, single dorm rooms, shared kitchens, lounges, laundry facilities, office space, and cultural spaces for prayer and ceremony. 

UFV’s project page also detailed the building’s inclusion of study areas, student programming space, and mixed-use amenity areas.

Furthermore, the project features an active transportation hub with secure indoor bike storage and shower facilities.

The building is currently being called La:lems Ye EverGreen, a temporary name connected to the local indigenous territory.

The province said the name reflects the idea of home, belonging, and continuity, while UFV continues a broader process to decide on a permanent name for the building.

The size of the investment also highlights the increasing importance of student housing in BC.

The provincial release noted that the new student housing and expanded dining at UFV are part of a $127 million project shared between the province and the university.

Since 2017, the government has committed more than $4 billion to post-secondary infrastructure, including funding for student housing across BC.

For students in Abbotsford, the project holds significant importance because housing costs remain a major issue across the Fraser Valley.

A larger residence could allow more students the opportunity to live near their classes, reduce commuting stress, and build stronger campus connections.

This new housing project underscores the close connection between local education and local housing.

The opening also suggests that student housing is becoming a bigger component of how Abbotsford plans for future growth.