{"id":69774,"date":"2026-10-23T09:55:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/?p=69774"},"modified":"2026-10-23T09:55:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:55:36","slug":"rental-buildings-near-ubc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/renters\/rental-buildings-near-ubc\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver: Top 7 rental buildings near UBC"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Can you rent near UBC if you’re not a student? Yes: the seven rental buildings near UBC are market rentals at Wesbrook Village, elsewhere on campus, and in West Point Grey, and none of their own pages says you need a UBC connection. Price is the trade-off, since liv.rent’s October 2026 Metro Vancouver rent report<\/a> puts West Point Grey\/UBC at $2,600 for an unfurnished one-bedroom, the most expensive neighbourhood in its Vancouver breakdown, so we count cost in dollars and in commute minutes.<\/p>\n

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How much does it cost to rent near UBC?<\/h2>\n

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Living near campus costs you more. West Point Grey\/UBC averaged $2,600 a month in asking rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom in October 2026, the highest of any Vancouver neighbourhood in liv.rent’s report, published October 2, 2026. Sunset-Victoria Fraserview was the lowest at $1,717, a gap of $883 a month, which we worked out to about $10,600 a year. The City of Vancouver average for the same unit type and month was $2,329.<\/p>\n

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A second measure points the same way. In its October 2025 Rental Market Survey, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) put average rent for purpose-built apartments and row houses of all sizes at $2,805 in its University Endowment Lands zone. The Vancouver census metropolitan area came in at $1,970. The Tyee describes that zone as the UBC campus area<\/a>. Don’t read the two sets of numbers as a matched pair, though. CMHC counts existing tenancies, many at older rents, while liv.rent counts current asking rents. CMHC’s next Rental Market Report is scheduled for December 8, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Rent is only one of three costs you’ll weigh near UBC. The other two are the commute and the lease terms. On the lease side, Wesbrook Properties’ FAQ<\/a> says its agreements start with a 12-month fixed term. The FAQ also says they ask for income of at least three times the monthly rent, charge a security deposit of half a month’s rent, and carry no application fee. We’re covering UBC’s Vancouver campus on the Point Grey peninsula, not UBC Okanagan in Kelowna.<\/p>\n

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Which are the top seven rental buildings near UBC?<\/h2>\n

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Seven managed rental buildings made the cut. Three are in or beside Wesbrook Village (Granite Terrace, Mews, and Verve), three are elsewhere on the Vancouver campus (Westpoint, Vista Point, and Greenwood Commons), and one is in West Point Grey (University Manor). We’ve placed each one by address and by what its own page says, because none of the pages gives a walking time to class.<\/p>\n

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Building<\/strong><\/td>Address<\/strong><\/td>Where it sits<\/strong><\/td>One confirmed fact<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Westpoint<\/a><\/td>6005 Walter Gage Road<\/td>Northwest area of the campus<\/td>liv.rent’s building page lists 107 units and a 2008 completion year<\/td><\/tr>
Granite Terrace<\/a><\/td>3233 Wesbrook Mall<\/td>Wesbrook Village, above the Save-On-Foods<\/td>77 rental suites and townhomes; pets not permitted<\/td><\/tr>
Mews<\/a><\/td>3333 Wesbrook Mall<\/td>Wesbrook Village<\/td>72 one- and two-bedroom suites<\/td><\/tr>
Verve<\/td>5855 Binning Avenue<\/td>Southeast corner of Wesbrook Place<\/td>18 storeys and 221 rental units; opened September 1, 2025<\/td><\/tr>
Vista Point<\/td>5828 Thunderbird Boulevard<\/td>On campus, described as close to UBC’s academic core<\/td>14-storey tower of junior one-bedroom to three-bedroom homes, per its operator<\/td><\/tr>
Greenwood Commons<\/td>2660 Wesbrook Mall<\/td>East Campus<\/td>Its operator says it is open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public<\/td><\/tr>
University Manor<\/a><\/td>4640 West 10th Avenue<\/td>West Point Grey, off campus<\/td>Low-rise with heat and water included, per its operator<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

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Supply is thinner than a “top seven” title suggests. Many of the campus addresses on liv.rent’s September 2026 building list aren’t managed rentals that the building’s own page confirms as open to everyone. Some are UBC residences, some are limited to people who study or work at UBC, and some we couldn’t confirm as open rentals, so we left them out. Three of the seven, Verve, Vista Point, and Greenwood Commons, aren’t on that list, so you won’t find a liv.rent link for them here.<\/p>\n

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Can you rent in Wesbrook Village without a UBC link?<\/h2>\n

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Yes, in the three buildings below, but not in every Wesbrook Properties building. Its pages for Focal, Central, and Georgia Point each say they’re “available exclusively to students, faculty, campus staff and employees of businesses located on the UBC campus.” UBC Student Housing<\/a> gives similar eligibility wording for Axis. The pages for Granite Terrace, Mews, and Verve below, and for Vista Point in the next section, don’t carry a line like that. Focal, Central, and Georgia Point appear on liv.rent’s building list but carry that restriction on their own pages.<\/p>\n

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Granite Terrace at 3233 Wesbrook Mall<\/h3>\n

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Granite Terrace<\/a> sits above a Save-On-Foods in Wesbrook Village. Wesbrook Properties describes 77 rental suites and townhomes in one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts, with an in-suite washer and dryer, enclosed shared bike storage, and storage lockers and underground parking for a monthly fee. Its page says pets aren’t permitted, which settles the question if you have a dog or a cat.<\/p>\n

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Mews at 3333 Wesbrook Mall<\/h3>\n

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Mews<\/a> has 72 one- and two-bedroom suites, with in-suite laundry, a shared bike storage room, and deep soaking tubs with glass shower enclosures. Mews allows pets with restrictions, its page says. On October 20, 2026, it listed three two-bedroom suites at $3,500 to $3,688 a month.<\/p>\n

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Verve at 5855 Binning Avenue<\/h3>\n

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Verve is an 18-storey, 221-unit rental tower in the southeast corner of Wesbrook Place. UBC Properties Trust<\/a> reports that it opened on September 1, 2025. The company said it was fully leased two weeks earlier and expected a significant share of renters to be students and young adults. Wesbrook Properties lists studios to three-bedroom homes with air conditioning, a shared study lounge, and a patio, and calls the village shops a short 10-minute walk away. On October 20, 2026, its page listed two two-bedroom suites, at $3,680 and $3,886 a month.<\/p>\n

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Where else on campus can you rent a home?<\/h2>\n

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Westpoint, Vista Point, and Greenwood Commons are the three campus rentals outside Wesbrook Village. Westpoint is a Bastion Development building in the campus’s northwest area, and Greenwood Commons is a mix of studios and townhomes in East Campus. Only Greenwood Commons says outright who can rent, so read each page before you apply.<\/p>\n

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Vista Point at 5828 Thunderbird Boulevard<\/h3>\n

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Wesbrook Properties describes Vista Point as a 14-storey tower of junior one-bedroom to three-bedroom homes, with quartz countertops, hardwood in most units, and an in-suite washer and dryer. Pets are allowed with restrictions, and the page describes the tower as close to UBC’s academic core.<\/p>\n

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Westpoint at 6005 Walter Gage Road<\/h3>\n

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Westpoint<\/a> is listed on liv.rent with 107 units, a 2008 completion year, bike storage, secured underground parking, and an elevator. Bastion<\/a> says UBC’s facilities are within walking distance and University Village’s caf\u00e9s, restaurants, shops, and grocery stores are nearby. On October 20, 2026, it listed one furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite at $3,800, and its page doesn’t state a UBC-affiliation requirement.<\/p>\n

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Greenwood Commons at 2660 Wesbrook Mall<\/h3>\n

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Greenwood Commons is the only building here that says outright, on its Wesbrook Properties page<\/a>, that its homes are for students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The page lists private entries, courtyards, an outdoor playground area, and an in-suite washer and dryer. On October 20, 2026, a 450-square-foot studio was listed at $1,938 a month, available from October 1, 2026. That’s the lowest listed rent we mention here, though a studio is a different unit type from the larger suites above.<\/p>\n

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What do you give up by renting farther from UBC?<\/h2>\n

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Moving farther out costs you minutes first and saves you money second, and the saving is small at Kitsilano. UBC’s Go Global Housing Information Packet<\/a> (June 2026) puts West Point Grey at five to 10 minutes from campus by bus and Kitsilano at 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, liv.rent’s October 2026 report puts Kitsilano at $2,534 for an unfurnished one-bedroom, only $66 below West Point Grey\/UBC’s $2,600.<\/p>\n

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The packet calls West Point Grey “more expensive,” labels Dunbar Southlands, Arbutus Ridge and Kerrisdale, and East Vancouver as relatively less expensive, and puts East Vancouver at 40 to 60 minutes by bus. Sunset-Victoria Fraserview is the cheapest neighbourhood in the rent report, but the packet doesn’t give a commute time for it. Check its route on TransLink’s trip planner before counting the $883 monthly gap in October 2026. The packet also warns that West Point Grey buses are often crowded or full.<\/p>\n

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University Manor at 4640 West 10th Avenue<\/h3>\n

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University Manor<\/a> is the one off-campus pick. InterRent, which runs the building, describes a low-rise complex with renovated suites, hardwood flooring, private balconies, an elevator, bicycle storage, storage lockers, and heat and water included. InterRent calls it a short drive to UBC. The 99 B-Line has a stop on West 10th Avenue at Sasamat Street, on the same avenue as the building.<\/p>\n

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Does the Broadway Subway go all the way to UBC?<\/h2>\n

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No, it doesn’t. TransLink<\/a> says the Broadway Subway is scheduled to open in 2027 with an interim terminus at Arbutus Street, and that B-Line bus service will continue between Arbutus Street and UBC. A UBC extension is described only as a possible future phase. The Province’s September 21, 2026 release says passenger service is scheduled for fall 2027, and no opening day has been announced.<\/p>\n

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Until then, the 99 B-Line is your trip to campus. TransLink’s timetable effective April 20, 2026<\/a> describes the route from Commercial-Broadway Station via Broadway, Alma, 10th Avenue, University Boulevard, and Wesbrook to UBC Exchange. Stops include Alma at 10th Avenue, 10th Avenue at Sasamat, and University Boulevard at Allison. Since July 16, 2026, TransLink has temporarily moved some stops near Broadway and Cambie. TransLink also runs Route 68 as UBC Exchange\/Wesbrook Village.<\/p>\n

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If you’re a full-time student, you get a U-Pass, according to UBC Student Housing’s off-campus page, which also warns that buses close to campus are usually very full. If you don’t study at UBC, TransLink raised fares an average of 5% on July 1, 2026, and an adult one-zone monthly pass now costs $117.20.<\/p>\n

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Is more rental housing coming to UBC?<\/h2>\n

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Yes, mostly in Wesbrook Place. UBC Properties Trust has applied for a development permit for Lots 8 and 9 at 5868 and 5828 Binning Avenue and 3758 Wesbrook Mall. It’s proposing 495 market rental homes in a 30-storey tower and a six-storey wood-frame building, according to UBC Campus and Community Planning<\/a>. The page, updated September 1, 2026, says a permit is expected by December 9, 2026, after a Development Permit Board meeting on November 25, 2026.<\/p>\n

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On the student side, The Tyee reported on October 1, 2026<\/a> that UBC has 13,883 beds on its Vancouver campus. A $560-million project in the Lower Mall Precinct will provide 1,508 student beds, 1,333 of them new, it added. The paper also quoted an incoming student who counted about 3,000 people ahead of her on the residence waitlist. If you’re on a long residence waitlist, Wesbrook Properties’ FAQ says its units are first-come, first-served and can’t be held until an application is complete, approved, and signed.<\/p>\n

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Which UBC homes follow BC rent rules, and what must renters and landlords do?<\/h2>\n

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UBC student residences and market rentals aren’t governed the same way. UBC’s 2026\/27 residence contract<\/a> says it creates a licensee and licensor relationship and that B.C.’s Residential Tenancy Act does not apply to it. Wesbrook Properties’ FAQ, by contrast, says it escalates disputes over move-out charges to the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB), the B.C. body that applies the Act. Check your own agreement. This is general information, not legal advice.<\/p>\n

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If you rent<\/h3>\n

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Where the Act applies, the Government of B.C. sets the 2026 rent increase limit at 2.3%<\/a> and the 2027 limit at 2.2%, taking effect January 1, 2027 (page last updated August 27, 2026). A landlord can raise your rent only once every 12 months and must give you at least three full months’ written notice on Form RTB-7, naming the exact dollar amount and effective date. If a landlord charges more than the limit or gives improper notice, you don’t have to pay the unlawful part. Take it up with the landlord first. After that, you can apply to the RTB for dispute resolution or deduct an overpayment from future rent with a written reason.<\/p>\n

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If you are a landlord<\/h3>\n

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Serve the increase on Form RTB-7<\/a>. The same government page says you can’t round up, carry over an unused increase from a prior year, or raise rent again within 12 months of the last lawful increase. You can go above the limit only with the tenant’s written agreement or an RTB application. Utilities and other fees can be raised only with the tenant’s agreement, and fees agreed in writing can’t be raised. The 2027 limit of 2.2% matters for planning, and the 495 homes proposed in Wesbrook Place would add competing supply if approved. Read more in our Rental Laws hub<\/a>, and see how to screen tenants<\/a> before you accept applications from student applicants.<\/p>\n

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Featured on liv.rent<\/h2>\n

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Coast<\/a> at 6093 Iona Drive also fits. UBC Student Housing lists it among luxury rental apartments in the campus’s northwest area. Bastion’s page places it near the Chan Centre, the Museum of Anthropology, Spanish Banks, Wreck Beach, and Pacific Spirit Park, though it showed no units available on October 20, 2026. Browse more Vancouver neighbourhood guides<\/a>, the monthly rent reports<\/a>, or the guide to student housing near Langara College<\/a> if another campus is on your list.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Is it worth living farther from UBC to save on rent?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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It depends how far you’re willing to go. liv.rent<\/a>‘s October 2026 report puts an unfurnished one-bedroom at $2,600 in West Point Grey\/UBC and $2,534 in Kitsilano, but only $1,717 in Sunset-Victoria Fraserview. On time, UBC’s June 2026 housing packet gives five to 10 minutes by bus from West Point Grey and 40 to 60 from East Vancouver.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

When should I start looking for a rental near UBC?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Start when you can sign. Wesbrook Properties rents first-come, first-served, can’t hold a unit until your application is complete, approved, and signed, and starts agreements with a 12-month fixed term. The Tyee reported on October 1, 2026 that an incoming student counted about 3,000 people ahead of her on UBC’s residence waitlist.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Does the B.C. rent cap apply to UBC housing?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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It applies wherever the Residential Tenancy Act applies. The Government of B.C. sets the limit at 2.3% for 2026 and 2.2% for 2027, with three full months’ notice on Form RTB-7. UBC’s 2026\/27 residence contract says the Act doesn’t apply to it, so check your agreement. General information, not legal advice.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Does the Broadway Subway go all the way to UBC?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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No, it doesn’t. TransLink says the Broadway Subway is scheduled to open in 2027 with an interim terminus at Arbutus Street, and B-Line buses will keep running between Arbutus Street and UBC. A UBC extension is described only as a possible future phase, so the 99 B-Line is still your trip to campus.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n