Some new student housing in Waterloo might not be ready in time for start of school year
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct erroneous information provided by the City of Waterloo. The city’s occupancy tracker previously said a Columbia Street development was not on track. That building is, in fact, on track to open Jan. 1, 2023.
Student housing is hard to come by in Waterloo, and new spots are constantly being built to address the need.
The City of Waterloo monitors the occupancy status of new student buildings. As of Aug. 31, all four upcoming developments on its tracker are shown as “on track.” The new buildings will offer a combined 511 units by mid September.
The City of Waterloo noticed that several student buildings each year were not ready in time for the original date developers promised students. So that’s why the city created the occupancy tracker.
“They just weren't finished on September 1, and they weren't able to turn over keys to folks that were really expecting a place to live when they came to school,” said Jeff Henry, Waterloo councillor for Ward 6.
New off-campus buildings have been shooting up, but the efforts to try and meet some of the demand haven’t always gone as planned.
“I remember a few years back, Icon ran into a little bit of an issue by sending tenants down to hotels because they couldn't get their building done in time,” one student recalled.
It’s cases like that where the city says the tracker comes in handy so families can keep a close eye on a building’s progress.
“Just how ready they're likely to be and how far along the process that they are,” explained Henry.
But that worry is only adding to the already difficult task of trying to find a place to stay near Waterloo’s university district.
“It’s completely impossible. I’ve been looking for months on Facebook Marketplace,” one student told CTV News. “I’ve noticed the competition is really high, and the prices are way higher than they were in the past,” another student said.
Many students at this point say things should be looking up. But when they look up, all they see is unfinished business.
“There are some buildings, like even walking past right now, there’s no way they’ll be ready for September,” one student said. “I’ve had a few friends going to do a few open houses at places, and it’s ended up just being a construction site,” said another student.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.