housing
UBC tenants group demands protections for housing on campus
November 11, 2025On October 9, the Vancouver Tenants Union’s UBC chapter (UBC-VTU) issued ten demands for the UBC Housing authority. The proposals call on UBC Housing to enact tenant protections, establish rent controls, and build equitable housing construction, among other demands. The UBC-VTU advocates for fairer housing standards for students, often incorporating student testimony into their campaigns. They have organized around housing issues in the Lower Mainland, such as their advocacy against housing displacement and large-scale building projects in Vancouver. The Peak interviewed Keegan Colwell, a member of the UBC-VTU. “Right now, there are truly no rights for tenants at UBC,” he…
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Throughout the Lower Mainland, housing struggles persist
November 11, 2025Content warning: mentions of systemic violence, overdose, and death From Vancouver to Kelowna, community members are uniting in solidarity for those affected by ongoing tent city policies. In late March, residents along the Okanagan rail trail were forced to leave…
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Vancouver mayor Ken Sim freezes construction of supportive housing
March 18, 2025Content warning: Mentions of racism, Indigenous displacement, and substance use. On February 26, Vancouver City Council voted “yes” on mayor Ken Sim’s motion to freeze the construction of new supportive housing units in the city. As per the motion, supportive…
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Affordable housing — where it all went wrong
October 22, 2024Housing as a necessity In 1976, Canada agreed to recognize housing as a human right, adhering to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) drafted by the United Nations. A right to housing does not necessarily entail that the government…
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Hostility towards immigrants won’t solve the housing crisis
October 17, 2024Content warning: non-graphic mentions of hate crimes against racialized communities. This year, the Canadian government announced its first-ever limit for temporary residents, which includes temporary foreign workers, international students, and asylum claimants. Amid this decision, immigrants are being increasingly scapegoated…
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BC government launches website to protect against bad-faith evictions
July 23, 2024On July 18, the BC government launched a website to “better protect renters from being evicted in bad faith.” When evicting a tenant for landlord use, landlords are now required to use the website to document information, such as who…
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Tenants in BC need better legal protections
May 30, 2024There’s a saying I’ve heard in Vancouver: “You can’t put a price on those mountains.” But landlords can and do. It costs two full-time minimum wage jobs to afford a bedroom in the Lower Mainland, and rent across BC “increased…
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The Walrus panellists discuss Canada’s housing crisis
November 7, 2023Content warning: brief mention of colonial violence. On October 26, Canadian magazine The Walrus hosted a series of speakers, ranging from experts to activists, to discuss equitable housing. The seven speakers each had seven minutes to present a different angle…
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Beedie wins condo approval in Chinatown at 105 Keefer
July 19, 2023On June 26, Beedie Holding Ltd’s controversial condo was approved for development in central Chinatown. This was the sixth and final time Beedie attempted to get the condo approved, with five other attempts spanning over half a decade. Chinatown’s residents,…
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Courtyard residence unveiled at SFU Burnaby campus
June 7, 2023Editor’s Note: A correction was made to this article on June 12, 2023 to note that room prices are $3,920, regardless of room type. On May 19, SFU announced the opening of its newest residency on Burnaby campus. Courtyard, created…
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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.
For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]
Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.
For advertising inquiries: [email protected]
For promotional inquiries: [email protected]