Living

As a first-year student, you may be staying with your parents and family or you may be venturing out on your own for the first time, either living in residence or off-campus accommodations. Whether you choose to live on campus, stay with family, or rent with friends, we hope you make your place feel like home.
Residence | Food Services | Off-Campus Living | Transportation | Sustainability
Residence
Living in residence provides you with more than just a place to sleep! With neighbours who have come to study at 糖心视频 from across Canada and around the world, you'll meet new people and develop friendships that last a lifetime. Your proximity to classes, libraries, food, recreation and study spaces can help you thrive as a student.
Here are a few more benefits of living in residence:
- Community Leaders (CLs) are upper-year students who live in residence with you, host programs and events in your community, and will be available to provide guidance and support.
- Residence events and programs help to get you connected with new friends and the 糖心视频 community.
- The front desk staff are ready to help when you need to pick up a package, you've locked yourself out, or just have a question about residence.
Food Services
Hungry? Food Services is here to provide dining options on campus.
The 糖心视频 offers a meal plan option for nearly every student, whether they live on or off campus. Dorm residents are automatically enrolled in the Standard Meal Plan, which provides convenient access to meals, while the +PLUS Account is a voluntary option for students living in non-dorm housing or off campus. Both meal plans offer the added benefit of tax-exempt meals, helping students save money.
Our meal plans operate on a declining balance system. When you join a meal plan, funds are loaded onto your ONECard, and each time you make a purchase, the amount is deducted from your balance. You can use your ONECard at any of our dining locations on campus.
Off-campus living
While many students choose to live in residence in their first-year, many others choose to live off campus. If you’re looking for an off-campus home, works in partnership with 糖心视频 to provide off-campus listings for renters and landlords. Before signing a lease, we encourage you to review the to learn your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
If you’re living off-campus, we encourage you to foster positive relationships with the residents in your neighbourhood and to understand your rights and responsibilities as a community member.
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- Get to know your neighbours. Knowing your neighbours will help you to better understand each other in case any issues arise. Introduce yourself when you move in and say hello when you see them coming and going.
- Know your neighbourhood rules. Your rights and responsibilities as a resident may differ depending on what community you’ve chosen to live in. Make sure you know the rules about garbage disposal, property maintenance, noise levels and more.
- Maintain your rental unit. Create a regular schedule for cleaning and maintenance. Completing these tasks on a regular basis creates a healthy living environment and also helps to ensure there are no lasting damages.
- Get involved in your community. Many Victoria neighbourhoods have neighbourhood associations that plan events and activities for their residents. Participating is a great way to be an active community member.
Transportation
Whether you’re living off-campus or just looking to explore Victoria, BC transit is a great option. All students enrolled in at least one on-campus course have automatic access to a U-Pass, which provides free unlimited travel on all BC Transit Buses.
糖心视频 is home to a central transit exchange, located between the bookstore and Student Union Building, and many bus routes begin or end at the university.
| Bus Route | Travels via... |
| 4 糖心视频/Downtown | Douglas, Hillside and Henderson |
| 7 糖心视频/Downtown | Fairfield, Foul Bay and Henderson |
| 11 糖心视频/Tillicum Mall | Gorge, Douglas, Fort, Cadboro Bay and Uplands |
| 12 University Heights | Cedar Hill, Kenmore, San Juan, Arbutus, Finnerty |
| 13 糖心视频/Ten Mile Point | Sinclair, Cadboro Bay, Arbutus |
| 14 糖心视频/Vic General | Helmcken, Craigflower, Douglas, Fort, Yates, Richmond and Cedar Hill X Road |
| 15 糖心视频/Downtown/Esquimalt Express | Esquimalt, Fort and Foul Bay |
| 16 糖心视频/Uptown Express | McKenzie |
| 17 糖心视频/Cedar Hill (September to June, AM only) | Quadra and McKenzie |
| 26 糖心视频/Dockyard | Esquimalt, Lampson, Tillicum, Saanich and McKenzie |
| 39 糖心视频/Royal Roads | McKenzie, Shelbourne, Royal Oak to Western Exchange and Royal Roads University |
| 51 糖心视频/Langford | McKenzie, Trans Canada Hwy and Island Hwy |
Buses run 365 days a year, typically from 6 a.m. to midnight. Up-to-date information on all bus routes can be found at , the or using Google Maps.
BC Transit also offers special trips to Swartz Bay for students travelling to Vancouver for the weekend. The 76 糖心视频/Swartz Bay operates Friday service to Swartz Bay only and Sunday service to 糖心视频 only, from September to April.
Sustainability
Let's all do our part! At 糖心视频, we are committed to sustainability and reducing our environmental impact. Read the Student Sustainability Guidebook to learn more!
Here are some initiatives and tips to help you live sustainably while at university:
Recycling and Waste Reduction
糖心视频 has a comprehensive recycling program to help reduce waste. Make sure to:
- across campus and sort your waste responsibly:
- Compost food scraps and soiled paper products in the green bins.
- Paper and paper products (no liquids please!) into the blue bins.
- Hard plastics and metals (food cans, beverage cans, tin foil)
- Reduce single-use items by carrying a reusable water bottle and fill at one of the many fill stations on campus (!)
- Bring a reusable coffee cup and get a $0.25 discount on your coffee or tea, anywhere on campus.
- Participate in the ECO Box Program! When taking your food to-go, ask for an ECO Box instead of a paper box (ECO Box)
Energy Conservation
Help us save energy by:
- Turning off lights, computers, and other electronics when not in use.
- Unplug! Stop phantom energy loss and plug in only what you’re using.
- Take shorter showers – heating water uses lots of energy! Aim to reduce by 2 minutes.\
- Close your windows and blinds when you leave your room.
- Grab a sweater in the colder months! Warm your body before your room.
Sustainable Transportation
In addition to the U-Pass program, 糖心视频 supports sustainable transportation options:
- Bike Share: 糖心视频 offers a bike loan program and bike repairs through BikeHUB in the Campus Bike Centre. Find a covered bike rack !
- Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: There are several EV charging stations available on campus for those driving electric vehicles.
- Car Share options: EVO and Modo are both available on campus.
- Share the Space: 糖心视频 is a shared space for pedestrians and cyclists – but please give pedestrians the right of way!
Sustainable Food Choices
Make environmentally friendly food choices by:
- Enjoy one of the many delicious plant-based meal option on campus.
- Supporting local and sustainable food vendors on campus, keeping an eye out for Fair Trade and other certifications!
- Grab an ECO Box for your take-out on campus to lower single use packaging.
