Housing

Welcome to UVic Law

On-campus Accommodation

For detailed information about housing options, please visit UVic's Residence Services website. Residence Services offers both traditional student residence rooms and non-traditional cluster apartments, as well as family housing. These are great options for law students who prefer the convenience of living on campus.

There is a high demand for on-campus accommodation., Please apply early and be prepared to make alternative arrangements.

Off-campus Accommodation

Postings are updated regularly on the Residence Services website and can be searched in the Off-campus Housing Listings.

Students requiring housing may want to consider staying at hostels upon arrival and then search for off-campus housing. Information about Greater Victoria hostels can be found on the Internet:

Hostelling International
516 Yates Street
Victoria, BC V8W 1K8
Tel: 250-385-4511 (or toll free 1-888-883-0099)
Fax: 250-385-3232
Website: http://www.hihostels.ca/hostels/BC/BCRegion/Victoria/Hostels/index.html

Located in the heart of downtown, close to the waterfront, the historic Legislative Buildings and the Royal British Columbia Museum. Hostelling International - Victoria provides convenient, reasonably priced, clean accommodation for visitors to B.C.'s capital city.

Cost: $16.00-$20.00 for members; $17.00-$24.00 non-members

To find out more about Victoria via internet:
http://www.bctravel.com/city1.html
http://www.city.victoria.bc.ca/

The "What" "Where" "When" and "How Much" of Housing in Victoria

What and Where?

Although there are a number of great neighborhoods within Victoria, students seem to congregate in three particular areas. All three are close to major bus lines.

James Bay
·Located close to the downtown core, but is farther away from the UVic campus.
·Time to school is approximately 40 minutes by bus (including transfer); 20 minutes by car; 45 minutes by bicycle (yes, you can bike year round if you don't mind getting wet in winter!).
·By far one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Victoria – tree-lined streets and very close to the ocean.
·Housing consists of many older character homes, as well as a fair number of apartment buildings.
·A supermarket, various restaurants and convenience stores are within a 10 minute walk of most James Bay locations.

Fernwood
·Very much on par with James Bay for sheer character of the neighborhood.
·The most heavily concentrated area of students living off campus.
·Time to school is approximately 20 minutes by bus; 15 minutes by car; 25-30 minutes by bike.
·Available housing is almost exclusively comprised of houses and rental suites within houses.
·Supermarket within walking distance.
·Walking distance to downtown.

Gordon Head
·Closest to UVic; within walking distance from some locations.
·Time to school is approximately 10 minutes by bus; 5 minutes by car; 10-15 minutes by bike.
·Gordon Head is the newest of the three areas, and is also the most suburban.
·Housing consists of a mix of houses, rental suites within houses and apartment buildings.
·Multiple supermarkets, the University Heights Mall (complete with movie theatre), and other business centres (photocopying, laundry, restaurants and coffee bars).

Other areas where housing is available:

Fairfield- Farther from UVic than Fernwood, but closer than James Bay. Quiet, close to the water,
very pretty. Many apartment buildings. Very close to bus lines.

Esquimalt- By far the farthest away from UVic. Most students living in Esquimalt either have cars, or are avid cyclists (although there have been reports of students bussing to school regularly). More removed from Victoria and the University than other neighborhoods, but with a life of its own. Close to all amenities, and on major bus line that goes directly to the University.

Hillside- Many apartment buildings, but with fewer houses. Very close to a major shopping centre. Along a major bus line which goes directly to the University.

Downtown- Housing consists of apartment buildings in the downtown core, and houses and apartments along the thoroughfares leading out of downtown (Pandora St., Fort St., Johnson St., Yates St.). Very close to direct bus lines to the University.

WHEN?

Apartments in Victoria are usually advertised one month ahead of the time they will come available for occupation. Therefore, students planning to take up residence in Victoria in September should try to secure such housing around the beginning of August (at least). Like most small cities with universities, available student accommodation drops drastically in the first weeks of September.

The main local newspaper, the Times Colonist (classifieds.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist), carries listings of apartments/rooms for rent, as does the local alternative press, Monday Magazine (www.monday.com). As well, local real estate companies carry listings of available housing. The University Housing Office, on campus, maintains a list of off-campus housing.

How Much?

The following are average rental prices for Victoria:

Bachelor Apartments $550 - $700
One Bedroom Apartments $700 - $1000
Two Bedroom Apartments $900 - $1300

Rental arrangements vary from residence to residence. While it is not rare to find owners willing to forgo leases and operate on a month-to-month basis, most students find themselves in a September – April lease.

Utilities are usually separate from the rental price, but given Victoria's mild climate, renters need not expect to pay as much for heat as in other cities.