UNIVERSITY CANADA WEST Accommodation Guide

1 Introduction

University Canada West (UCW) does not provide campus accommodation or accommodation booking services. The University has put together a guide on some common options that students may like to explore with accommodation providers.

The rates included in this guide are given by the accommodation providers and are correct at the time of printing. UCW does not guarantee rates nor availabilities. Each provider specifies their own rental terms and conditions. We suggest you take the time to evaluate the different options carefully. These include:

• Homestays • Hostels/Beds and Breakfasts • Student Residence • Rentals and others

Some frequently asked questions:

1. Can the landlord increase my rent? Rent is usually paid on the first day of each month. The landlord can only increase your rent once a year and only by a certain amount. The landlord must inform you in writing three months before the rent goes up.

2. Are utilities included in the rent, or do I have to pay for them? Utilities are electricity (hydro), gas or fuel oil. Some landlords include all or some of the utilities in the rent. Other landlords may not. Always ask the landlord so you are able to figure out your monthly budget.

3. How much is the security (damage) deposit? The security deposit is typically no more than half of one month’s rent. This money is used to pay for any damage you do to the property. If there is no damage and the apartment is clean when you move out, the landlord must return the deposit to you.

4. Tenancy agreement If you decide to rent a place, you will need to sign a tenancy agreement. As the rental market moves rather quickly, you may wish to bring a cheque with you when you look at places to rent. Make sure you get a receipt for all payments to the landlord.

5. Application deposits Some landlords ask tenants to pay an application deposit to rent a place. This is illegal unless you have both signed a tenancy agreement first. Some people who have paid these illegal application deposits were not able to rent and did not get their money back. Refrain from renting from a landlord who wants to charge an application deposit.

2 3 Catering options ROOMS & RENT Self-catering This option allows you to have maximum independence Self-catering single room whilst enjoying the comforts of a family home. You will also $600 per month have the chance to practice your conversational English. Self-catering single room Self-catering homestays include access to your host’s $600 per month kitchen and refrigerator as well as your own storage for Full-board single room groceries and other food. $875 per month

Private bathroom supplement Half-board $150 per 4 weeks Half-board homestay accommodation is an excellent Airport transfer service balance between independence and the comforts of a $110 one way family home. As well as having your breakfast and dinner Standard service fee provided, you will have plenty of opportunities to interact (non- refundable) $450 per stay with your hosts and improve your conversational English.

Full-board Make the most of your time in Vancouver with a full-board homestay. This option will ensure you can practice your new language skills and form a friendship with your host. You will be provided with food to prepare your breakfast and lunch. Homestay Your dinner will then be prepared by your hosts. ROOMS & RENT Canada Homestay International (CHI) Minimum Stay – 1 week CHI – Canada Homestay in Vancouver offer comfortable, friendly accommodation, a taste of the Canadian way of life Minimum Age – no minimum (extra charge my apply for underage and opportunities for improving your conversational English. students) The homestays are all located in the surrounding Vancouver Check In – Saturday or Sunday 24 area, meaning that you are only a short distance from campus hours and everything the city center has to offer. Check-out – Same day of the week 24 hours What to expect from your Homestay? There is no typical homestay in Vancouver. Some homes may be single-standing, whilst others are apartments or multi-family homes. Vancouver is a multicultural city with a lot of people from different countries of origin. Living in a homestay provides you with a great opportunity to experience living amongst all of the different cultures and backgrounds that are on offer around Vancouver.

Homestay Includes • A private bedroom with a lamp, a desk and a place for clothes • Bed linens • Laundry facilities • Access to public transport • Maximum of 50 minutes travel time from the campus

4 5 First Choice International First Choice International delivers high quality homestay ser- ROOMS & RENT vices that support the unique needs of students. Homestay placement fee (one – time) Homestay provides a safe environment and you’ll be placed $350 with a caring family who has gone through a rigorous selection Full Board option $950 per month process to ensure your comfort and happiness. Any specific requirements you have will also be taken into consideration Half Board option $825 per month when selecting a homestay for you. Specialty meal plan enhancement Basic Homestay Accommodation option $200 per month A basic homestay accommodation includes: Private bathroom enhancement • Full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) option $100 per month • half board (breakfast and dinner only) Nightly rate • Private bedroom with closet and student desk (less than two weeks) $45 • Access to high-speed internet Homestay re-placement fee • Use of telephone (long distance charges not included) (per occurrence) $250 • Use of in-house laundry facilities. TThe Basic Homestay is our most popular option; each year hundreds of students select this. These homes are clean and comfortable and our host families are very friendly and helpful. Hostel/Bed & Private Bathroom Add-on DISTANCE TO CAMPUS On occasion, a Basic Homestay can be enhanced by adding a private bathroom for an additional fee; Breakfast 10 minutes by public transport or 13 this is subject to availability. Although this enhancement is not always available during peak seasons, we do HI Vancouver Central minutes walking distance have many families who are able to provide this. 1025 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L4 AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR HI Hostel has three locations in Vancouver. Vancouver Meal plan: free continental breakfast Central is located just a short walk from the UCW campus included and all downtown attractions. The maximum number of nights a guest can stay is 21, after which Private rooms as well as shared dorms are available. they have to leave for a day or two before they can check in again. Hostel Facilities Check-in: 1:30 pm Check-out: 11:00 am • Common room • Luggage storage • Self-catering kitchen • Elevator • WIFI • Lockers ROOMS & RENT • TV room • Free coffee & tea Private rooms with ensuite from $79.39/night (single or double • Laundry room • Free breakfast occupancy) and shared dorm from • Games room $33/night • Computer kiosk

Room Facilities • Linen included • Towels included • Individual locker

6 7 Mai Lodging Cambie Hostel Location I: 4206 Beatrice St Vancouver (Kingsway St & Victoria Dr) Location I : 310 Cambie Street, Vancouver- British Columbia, DISTANCE TO CAMPUS DISTANCE TO CAMPUS Location II: 1472 E 17th Ave Vancouver (17th Ave & Knight St) V6B 2N3 25-30 minutes by public transport 3-8 minutes’ walk from first two Location III: 2311 E 33rd Ave Vancouver (33rd Ave & Nanaimo St) Location II : 515 Seymour Street, Vancouver - British Columbia, locations V6B 3H6 Mai Lodging offers room rentals in three different houses. The AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR Location III : 63 Victoria Crescnt, Nanaimo - British Columbia, AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR low season is between 15 September 15 and 14 June. Their Meal plan: self-catering V9R 5B9 Check in: 14:00 hrs high season starts 15 June and ends 14 September. They Check out: 11:00 hrs offer a 15% discount on daily rate for stays of 30 days or more ROOM & RENT ROOM & RENT and 20% discount for stays over 3 months. The famous Cambie Hostels have been around for almost as $35/day or $220/week (single room, long as Canada has existed and attract guests from around $30.48/per night (minimum for 4 Hostel Facilities low season), $40/day or $255/week the world. bed dorm) (single room, high season) $66.67/per night (minimum for a • Free Wi-Fi • Public dining room private room) • Public lounge room • Central heating Hostel Facilities • Park-view porch • Washing machine and You can check to see which facilities your location has as • Parking at the rear dryer this can vary between hostels. We suggest you take the time • Fully equipped kitchen to evaluate the different amenities carefully; these include:

Room Facilities • Automated teller Machine (ATM) • Laundry Room • Linens and towels • Baggage storage • Weekly Events • Phone for local calls • Concierge desk • Common Room • Single, double or queen size bed • Gift shop Lounge • Free computers with internet • Cable TV • Photo copying service • Free Wi-Fi • High speed internet connected computer • Printer • Breakfast • Extra personal fan or heater • Kitchen

8 9 Lord Stanley 1889 Alberni St, Vancouver, BC V6G 3G7 DISTANCE TO CAMPUS

Lord Stanley Suites specialize in accommodation for 10-15 minutes by public transport extended stays. It is located in downtown Vancouver’s West End neighborhood, close to Stanley Park and Coal Harbour AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR Seawall. Shopping, grocery stores and restaurants are all Meal plan: self-catering within walking distance. The suites with the best value contain one bedroom with a maximum capacity of four. ROOM & RENT Residence Facilities $35/day or $220/week (single room, • 24-hour concierge service low season), $40/day or $255/week (single room, high season) • Complimentary continental breakfast (7:00 am – 9:00 am) • Underground parking • Exercise room and saunas • Boardroom • Bike storage

Room/Suite Facilities • Sinks in rooms with a hall bath • Work desk Student Residence • Air conditioning DISTANCE TO CAMPUS • Mini-fridges • Free local phone calls YWCA 12 minutes by public transport or 15 733 Beatty St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2M4 minutes walking distance • Hair dryers

The newly refurbished YWCA Hotel is in a prime location near AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR BC Place, Rogers Arena and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. All year (monthly rental rates do not The popular Robson Street shopping area and the apply from June to August) Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain can also be found just around Meal plan: Self-catering the corner. Single, twin and double rooms are available, as well as ROOM & RENT double/double (2 double beds) and Quint rooms (4 persons). $810/month (single room, hall bath, no TV) Room availability is determined on a request basis and $1200/month (twin room, hall bath, TV) reservations will only be held with a non-refundable application fee of $190 (foreign resident) and $190 fee (additional resident in a shared room). Residency can start on any day of the month, subject to availability.

Residence Facilities Room Facilities • Fully-equipped kitchens • Sinks in rooms with a hall bath • Television lounges • Work desk • Laundry facilities • Air conditioning • Meeting rooms • Mini-fridges • Lobby café • Free local phone calls • Free Wi-Fi • Hair dryers • Irons and ironing boards • Unlimited use of the Fitness Centre for a monthly fee 10 11 Global Education City (GEC) Location I : 7657 Cambie street, Vancouver, V6P 3H8 Location II : 1311 Howe St. Vancouver, BC V6Z 2P3 DISTANCE TO CAMPUS Location III : 438 Gamma Avenue, Burnaby, BC V5C 0J7 10-15 minutes by public transport Location IV : 718 Drake Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2W6

GEC provides student residence across Vancouver and has AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR locations at four different sites. The close proximity to public Flexible stay from minimum 5 weeks transit and numerous educational institutions makes it perfect for both domestic as well as international students ROOM & RENT looking for convenient access to school as well as the $238-$315 per week for a shared attractions of downtown Vancouver. bedroom GEC Pearson is the largest residential organisation here, $322-$371 per week for a private bedroom offering space for more than 200 students. Their $462-$931 per week for a private accommodation includes in-suite laundry services, as well as apartment a gym, outdoor common space, and secure underground parking. All GEC properties have controlled access, 24/7 video surveillance of all entrances and public areas, as well as live-in caretakers features.

Residence facilities • Weekly cleaning services (common area)

• Wi-Fi, Netflix, and utilities included Room Rentals/ DISTANCE TO CAMPUS • In-suite laundry Others • Fully furnished including fully equipped kitchen 10 minutes walking distance • Concierge Vancouver Extended Stay • Fitness centre 1288 West Georgia, Vancouver, BC V6E 4R3 AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR • Live-in caretaker Vancouver Extended Stay specializes in vacation rentals, Meal plan: Self-catering corporate apartment rentals, and both short-term and long-term stays. It offers fully furnished apartments in two ROOM & RENT modern, high-rise condominiums in downtown Vancouver on $2650-$3400/month, depending on Georgia and the Palisades. A variety of apartment types can season and length of stay be rented, from one bedrooms to executive suites.

House Facilities • Free parking • Housekeeping (twice monthly) • In-suite washer and dryer • 24 hour concierge service • Meeting facilities • Fitness facilities

Room Facilities • Fully furnished • Free internet • Mountain or ocean view • Linens and towels • Fully equipped kitchens • Air conditioning • DVD player and flat screen TV • Iron and ironing board • Telephone with free local calling

12 13 DISTANCE TO CAMPUS

30 minutes by public transport APT-Living 1125 West 12th Avenue AVAILABILITY - ALL YEAR

APT-Living is a high-rise condominium building with small Meal plan: self-catering apartments for rent. All suites were recently renovated, as well as all shared areas. The shared areas include various ROOM & RENT dining, party and media lounges where residents can get to On request know other people.

Residence Facilities Apartment Facilities • Wi-Fi • Balcony • Shared living room with big screen media lounge • Kitchen corner • Art studio • Bathroom • Meeting room • Storage and shelving • Kitchen and dining lounges • Patio • Laundry facilities • Garden • Pool and hot tub • Ping-pong table • Visitor parking

Dunowen Properties Various locations

Dunowen Properties provides over 100 fully furnished apartments and condos for short and long term rent. One, two, and three bedroom apartments are available.

Availability: all year Rent: from $1800/month (one bedroom)

14 15 Suite 100 – 626 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6B 1V9 Canada

+1 604-915-9607 [email protected] www.ucanwest.ca University Canada West is part of the GUS Network of institutions

UCW Accommodation Guide – August 2019 I Information given in this brochure is correct at the time of publication and is subject to alteration. 16