Student Family Housing

Follow these steps to apply for family housing: 

1. Ensure you meet the eligibility criteria of family housing; outlined below, and in our Family Terms and Conditions. 
2. Add your name to the student family housing waitlist for the term(s) which you are seeking housing. By filling out this form, you will be considered for all/any vacancies that become available in the term (e.g. for the fall term, you will be considered for vacancies that become available in September, October, November, and December). You can apply for multiple terms at once; however each term is a separate list and applications will not carry over. Please note: Family housing offers are made from this waitlist on a first come, first-served basis and are based on available vacancies. Adding your name to the waitlist does not guarantee a residence offer. 
3. Gather the necessary documentation  (outlined below in step 6). If/when you receive an offer from Campus Housing, it will be conditional based on the submission of these documents. 
4. Wait for an update on vacancies. Campus Housing will notify you via email 60 days prior to the start of the next term to let you know if there are any vacancies remaining before the next term begins. If there is no space, you will be sent an email to indicate we are full. At this time, please unsubscribe if you are no longer interested in family housing or if you've found alternate accommodations; otherwise, you will continue to remain on the family wait list for the term, and may be notified if vacancies become available. 
5. If a space becomes available and we reach your spot on the waitlist, you will be asked to confirm your interest within 24 hours in order to receive an official link to apply. If you are contacted but no longer require housing, you are free to unsubscribe; otherwise, you will continue to remain on the family wait list for the term, and may be notified if vacancies become available. 
6. Once you have confirmed your interest, Campus Housing will send you an official application via email. You then have one week to complete the application process by submitting the official application as well as all eligibility documents in order to hold your place. 
7. Once documents have been vetted and approved, you will be referred to the Family Terms and Conditions and sent an official contract. You will be required to submit this signed contract along with your non-refundable deposit by the deadline date to Waterloo Residences (usually within 1 week). 
8. You will receive a final confirmation that your residence has been reserved for you once we receive your signed contract and deposit. 

Please Note: Our Family housing is extremely popular. Our waitlist receives a high number of new applicants each month; and with many student families choosing to stay for multiple terms, there may only be a few vacancies available to new student families each term. 

Offers are made from the waitlist on a first come, first-served basis (based on timestamp of when your waitlist submission was received). We encourage you to register for the waitlist as close as possible to the date/time when the waitlist opens, so that you increase your chances of receiving an offer for family housing.   

The fall 2021 family wait list opens at 9:00 a.m. on April 8, 2021.

To apply, please subscribe and submit your information to the family housing waitlist below. Should we reach your spot on the waitlist, a Campus Housing staff member will reach out to you as soon as possible with a residence offer. 

The winter 2022 family wait list opens at 9:00 a.m. on August 12, 2021.

In order to offer you a family unit, we need to confirm that your family will be with you at time of move in. your family members (spouse/partner and/or children) will not be with you when you arrive, you are required to indicate this on your application, and will be required to provide their immigration and flight information (if applicable).  

In order to prove that you fulfil the eligibility requirements of the residence, you will be required to provide us with the following: 

If you are a couple: 

• marriage certificate, or 

• a document signed before a commissioner for taking affidavits/notary public in which both parties swear/affirm that they have been living in a common-law relationship for at least one year AND a notarized copy of a document dated at least 11 months ago proving the existence of a shared lease, bank account, credit card or utility bill. 

If you are a single parent: 

• adoption documents, or birth registration paperwork, or school registration paperwork AND 

• proof of custody of the child/children such as separation/divorce/custody documents. 

If you are a couple with child/children: 

• marriage certificate, or 

• a document signed before a commissioner for taking affidavits/notary public in which both parties swear/affirm that they have been living in a common-law relationship for at least one year AND a notarized copy of a document dated at least 11 months ago proving the existence of a shared lease, bank account, credit card or utility bill AND 

• adoption documents, or birth registration paperwork, or school registration paperwork. 

The University of Waterloo has Commissioners for taking Affidavits available to Waterloo students through the Registrar's Office. They are located in Needles Hall. These Commissioners can help you with the documents we require, including notarization. Their services are free of charge to Waterloo students involved in University of Waterloo business. 

Alternatively, there are numerous Notaries Public throughout the Kitchener/ Waterloo community, and other areas, which could perform this service for you. Their fees will vary depending on the organization. 

For translations, please visit the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre.  

You do not need to include these documents when you place your name on the student family housing waitlist; however, it is a good idea to have them ready in case you are sent an offer. You will need to submit and send us these documents within one week of receiving a  conditional residence offer. 

The non-refundable deposit is equivalent to one month's rent and will be applied to your first month's rent. 

Student families live in 2-bedroom townhouses that are designed to safely and comfortably accommodate up to a maximum of four (4) occupants.  

If your family is larger than four individuals, we suggest looking for off-campus housing (resources below).  

Some students at UWaterloo choose to live off campus in the Kitchener-Waterloo community.  

Helpful hints in searching for off campus housing: 

• Start your search early! Whether you’re looking for housing on or off-campus, spaces are limited, especially during the fall term (September to December). 

• Note that most self-contained apartments aren’t furnished, except for stove and refrigerator. Be aware that rental and lease periods will vary, but 12-month leases are standard. 

• Look for places that are located on a bus route - Grand River Transit makes stops on campus. 

• Here are some additional resources to help you with your search. 

Campus Housing can also offer support in helping you find the resources you need by directing to others such as the RTA, the Region, WUSA, etc. Send us an email to find out more.  

Student families are offered a 4-month tenancy agreement, with the opportunity to renew for an additional term. 

CLV-North student family units are unfurnished. Find out more about the amenities and layouts in CLV-North.  

Students in residence, including student family housing, do not pay taxes on their residence fees as the University residences are on tax-exempt land. On Line 6114 (Student Residences) on your income tax form, you can claim $25 as your occupancy cost for the part of the year you lived in residence. You do not need to have proof of residence or tax receipts for residence fee payment. 

A Residence Life Grad Don is a graduate student who lives and works in CLV. Your Grad Don can help with questions or concerns, provide general support, and help you build connections with others also living in the Graduate & Student Family Community 

Grad Dons also help organize fun and engaging events that can help you connect with your peers and build useful skills. They provide residents in the community with opportunities to learn about valuable campus resources and how to access them.  

To learn more about CLV Grad Dons or to contact your Grad Don, please visit our Jobs & Leadership page or reach out to reslife@uwaterloo.ca 

The back seating-area of the CLV Community Center can be booked in certain circumstances by student-family residents only. Student families wishing to book the community center space for a private function can learn more about booking guidelines by reaching out to the CLV Residence Life Coordinator.  

*Please note that due to COVID-19 safety precautions, CLV community center bookings for private functions are currently not permitted. We expect and are looking forward to allowing private bookings in the community center once again in a future term when it is possible to do so. 

Students living in a family unit pay the rent monthly. Payments may be made online or at the Columbia Lake Village Community Centre front desk. 

Monthly rent payments are to be made no later than 4:30 pm on the first business day of the month, in one (1) single transaction by the main tenant (pay by either debit*, cheque, OR online). 

If paying by cheque, you may submit post dated cheques for the entire term (dated for the 1st of each month) to save the trouble of coming in each month. Please ensure that you include: 

• Name of the main tenant
• Main tenant's UWaterloo Student ID number
• Unit number

Please note, if you bank with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) you cannot use the online payment platform. CIBC debit and credit cards are not compatible with our system.  Payments can be made by cash, cheque or debit card at the CLV Front Desk.

The purpose of this procedure is to formally communicate Campus Housing’s expectations regarding rent payments, and to share the procedure Campus Housing is expected to follow when rent payments are in arrears (when rent is not paid on time and/or on a prescribed due date by tenants).

1. Normally rent (rent payment) is due on the first day of the month between the hours of 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. If the rent payment date falls on a weekend or a statutory holiday, then payment is due the next business day. 
2. If rent payment is not received, Campus Housing issues a courtesy Rent reminder – first notice by e-mail communication. The tenant is notified of dollar amount of rent arrears and deadline to remit. Normally the tenant is required to remit arrears before 4:30pm on the following business day. 
3. If rent payment is still not received, a second Rent reminder (final notice) is e-mailed. The tenant is reminded of dollar amount of rent arrears and deadline to remit. The tenant is required to remit arrears before 4:30pm on the following business day. NOTE: failure to settle the rent arrears after a second reminder will result in Campus Housing initiating a Form N4 – Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent. 
4. If rent payment is still not received at the end of the business day following the second/final reminder, a “FormN4 – Notice to End Your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent” is initiated and prepared. An e-mail communication to the tenant is prepared by the Manager, Graduate & Student Family Housing reminding the tenant of the amount of rent in arrears, that 2 previous reminders have been sent, and that a Form N4 has been prepared and mailed to the tenant. The Form N4 includes a termination of tenancy date. The tenant will be offered the opportunity to meet with Campus Housing staff before the termination date. 
5. If rent is still not received before the termination date, or if the tenant fails to contact or meet with Campus Housing staff before the termination date, an application to the Ontario Landlord & Tenant Board “Form L1 - Application to Evict a Tenant for Non-payment of Rent and to Collect Rent the Tenant Owes” is prepared. A copy is provided (either mailed through Canada Post or hand delivered) to the tenant. 

Additionally, please note that additional actions (such as Quest hold on marks/transcripts) may be required in certain cases, such as when a unit is vacated with pending overdue rent payment charges still active. 

Example: February 2021 

Visit the Landlord & Tenant Board website for more information – including details on the N4 and L1 processes, descriptions of landlord responsibilities, and description of tenant responsibilities.  

Couples without children are permitted to have one boarder. The boarder must be a full-time University of Waterloo student. The primary resident must fill out a Request for a Boarder application form and submit it to the Campus Housing office. 

• 2021/2022 Request for a Boarder form  

You must be registered as a full-time student to apply for residence in Columbia Lake Village. Once living in the community, if you become inactive, then you may be permitted to remain in residence for as long as your inactive status is approved by the Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs office. You are required to inform us of your situation, and submit documentation to verify it, by contacting us.  

The renewal process into the next academic term for single and family graduate residents begins 6-8 weeks into the current term. The reason renewals occur earlier in the semester is so that we can both give our current residents the first opportunity to book their spot into the next term, while balancing consideration for future students who want a spot in graduate Campus Housing as well. Early renewals allow for certainty for both us and you, while allowing us to better serve future residents by being able to send new offers earlier on as well.

When you receive your contract renewal offer, please decline your offer. 

Unless you renew your contract for an additional term, you will need to vacate your unit by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on the date of termination. 

Should you desire to vacate the assigned unit before the end date of your tenancy agreement, you must provide written notice via email no later than the first day of the month 60 days before your departure.

Example 1: You pay rent on the 1st of each month. The last day of your lease is August 31. You give Campus Housing notice on June 14. The earliest possible termination date for your lease is August 31.

• In this example, sixty days' notice is August 13, but the termination day must be the last day of the monthly rental period. Thus you are financially responsible for your unit until August 31.

Example 2: You pay rent on the 1st of each month. The last day of your lease is August 31. You give Campus Housing notice on July 31. The earliest possible termination date for your lease is September 30.

Upon termination of your tenancy agreement, you are required to vacate the unit and return your assigned keys no later than 12 noon on the date of the termination. 

A move-out inspection will take place to assess standards of cleanliness. 

Any damage beyond normal wear and tear or any excess cleaning required by Housing Staff will be billed to the primary tenant. 

All current CLV residents are permitted to remain in residence for 1 term beyond the term they completed their degree requirements*. For example, if you completed your degree requirements in the Fall you would be permitted to extend your stay in residence until the end of the Winter term.  Please reach out to your Residence Life Coordinator to communicate your intention to continue living in residence. 

*Degree completion is not the same as degree conferral.  Eligibility will be determined based on the date that is reflected on Quest confirming that all degree requirements were completed. This date can often be well in advance of the conferral of your degree (ie. Convocation). 

Address changes must be done through Canada Post prior to your moving date. Columbia Lake Village will not forward or hold onto any mail for students not in residence. 

Any mail received will be returned to sender.  

If you have school-aged children, you are strongly advised to contact the Waterloo Region District School Board  or the Waterloo District Catholic School Board, at your earliest convenience, for information regarding school tuition. The school board may require that you pay a fee for your child (children) to attend school.  

All permanent residents between the ages of 6 and 18 must attend school, as stipulated in the Ontario Education Act, which can be accessed through the Government of Ontario's website.  CLV is on tax-exempt land and does not pay school taxes. As such, families must coordinate directly with school boards to pay the monthly or annual costs associated with enrolling children.

There are also several private schools and daycare facilities nearby, for your convenience.  

There are many children living in CLV and it is important to keep their safety in mind at all times. Visit Child and Family Canada for some helpful resources on home and family safety concerns.