Our Residence Story
For over 50 years, Campus Housing has been a trusted housing provider among students, faculties and staff, and the wider Waterloo community. We are values-driven, motivated by our primary value to Put Students First, and have continually adapted our work to fit students’ evolving needs. This means blending our experience with a commitment to innovation and collaboration to provide the best services, experiences, and spaces possible while ensuring students have a safe space to call home.
We offer the best place for students to academically succeed, create connections, and find the resources and support they need.
Our Values
Value 1: Put Students First
We are committed to helping students learn and learning from them, too. We treat every student with empathy and respect and consider how our work contributes to student success.
Value 2: Make Our Team Stronger
As a department, we recognize the contributions of everyone, and invite diverse perspectives and experiences. We seek feedback, ask for help, and welcome support. We go above and beyond to help each other and do so with kindness always.
Value 3: Embrace Growth
Innovation is the heartbeat of Waterloo; and Campus Housing is no different. We continually assess and improve the work we do, taking risks that could lead to growth. We commit to growth on a professional and personal level and support the growth of others around us.
Value 4: See the Bigger Picture
We work with other units and partners to achieve common goals, always mindful of how our decisions impact others. We are responsible stewards of resources.
What We Do
We are all here to help our students succeed. Our mission is to foster growth and learning opportunities by providing a safe, accessible, clean and supportive home where all students succeed personally and academically.
The Campus Housing team is comprised of five business units:
- Student Development and Residence Services
- Residence Facilities
- Occupancy and Marketing Services
- Shared Services
- Office of the Director
See our Housing Organizational Chart for full team break downs.(updated November 2024)
Operating budget
Campus Housing is a non-profit unit at the University of Waterloo.
We aim for transparency about where our money comes from, where the money goes (services, initiatives, repairs), and proposed future fees:
Student Housing Framework
The University of Waterloo’s student housing framework is a comprehensive approach to supporting students with their housing needs and overall well-being while they’re living, studying, or working on campus.
We’re committed to creating a home away from home for students and instilling a sense of belonging in all aspects of campus life in alignment with our Waterloo Student Experience & Engagement (WatSEE) Framework. We have a dedicated department, including a housing office and officer, that support students in on-campus and off-campus housing; facilitates financial aid by working with the Student Awards & Financial Aid Office; offers legal services support options through the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) and Graduate Student Association (GSA); Off-Campus community support through WUSA; and provides assistance in collaboration with Campus Wellness, the Student Success Office, and other services across campus to create a healthy, inclusive environment.
Commitments
Commitment to a suitable range of options in line with enrolment levels
The University of Waterloo and its four affiliated institutions provide one of the five largest residence systems in Canada at nearly 7,000 beds. This includes a variety of types of housing, from traditional dormitories to self-contained units like suites and townhouses. The University offers comprehensive information about living in residence, as well as details of our residences and the four located at our affiliated institutions of Waterloo: St. Jerome’s University, Renison University College, United College, and Conrad Grebel University College.
This large selection of options accommodates the needs of a diverse student population, and has been providing guaranteed housing for first-year undergrad students (both domestic and international) for over 25 years.
Commitment to inclusive housing options
The University provides a variety of housing options for
- upper-year undergrads, transfer, and exchange students;
- graduate students and family housing;
- students who require Accessible Housing; and
- short-term housing accommodations.
In addition, our Off-Campus housing website provides information about finding Off-Campus housing at our Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Stratford campuses, advice about students’ legal rights as renters, financial information and information about maintenance , and safety support. The University has a formal agreement with PlacesStudents.com, which provides a service for landlords to offer rental properties to students. Housing support is also provided to co-op students working across Ontario, Canada, and the world.
Commitment to working with the local community
The University of Waterloo is a member of the City of Waterloo’s Town and Gown Committee, which allows us to participate in local decision-making regarding housing for our students, as “almost half of all Off-Campus, purpose-built student housing [in Canada] is in the City of Waterloo.”
Town and Gown “develops and enhances relationships, communications and policies among the universities, college[s], students, city, police and the community…[to address] issues of common concern as neighbourhood development and community relations, housing, the environment, economic activities, charitable/volunteer programs, recreational and cultural events, health and safety issues, and academic outreach.” (Town and Gown Committee Waterloo Student Accommodations Report #: CTTEE2023-002)
Commitment to ensuring ease of access to information
We’re committed to keeping students informed about relevant housing issues, initiatives, and resources that affect them through ongoing communications and social media channels: