University of British Columbia Vancouver

The University of British Columbia Vancouver
Unincorporated area
Location of UBC Vancouver in Metro Vancouver
Location of UBC Vancouver in Metro Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°15′54″N 123°14′31″W / 49.265°N 123.242°W / 49.265; -123.242
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Regional districtMetro Vancouver
Electoral areaElectoral Area A
Government
 • Chair of the Board of GovernorsMiranda Lam
 • MPWade Grant
 • MLADavid Eby
 • MVRD DirectorJen McCutcheon
Area
[1]
 • Total
402 ha (990 acres)
Population
 (2021)[2][3]
 • Total
15,103
 • Density3,726.4/km2 (9,651/sq mi)
 • Daytime
80,000
Websiteubc.ca/vancouver

The University of British Columbia Vancouver (UBC Vancouver or UBCV), officially known as the Point Grey campus lands,[4] is an unincorporated area that contains the main campus of the University of British Columbia in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Located at the western tip of the Point Grey Peninsula, UBC Vancouver is bordered only by the University Endowment Lands, which separate the campus from the City of Vancouver.[5][6]

The campus is home to close to 55,000 undergraduate and graduate students. As of the 2024-2025 academic year, UBC Vancouver enrolled just under 61,000 students, including approximately 49,000 undergraduate and 11,000 graduate students.[7] The 402-hectare (993-acre) campus is also home to a numerous residential housing developments that were built by UBC in conjunction with private developers.[8] As it is not part of a municipality, most services at UBC Vancouver are provided by the University of British Columbia itself, whose board of governors is empowered to adopt a land-use plan for the campus lands.[4]

The campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, who have maintained a continuous relationship with the Point Grey Peninsula for thousands of years. Today, UBC works in partnership with Musqueam on planning, stewardship and campus development initiatives. The partnership also supports Indigenous engagement, cultural recognition and collaborative decision-making across the Vancouver campus.[9][10]

History

The University of British Columbia was established in 1908. Teaching began in temporary facilities at the Fairview campus in 1915 before the university officially opened its permanent Point Grey campus in 1925. Since then, the campus has expanded in both its academic facilities and residential neighbourhoods.[11][12][13][14]

Campus development has increasingly been guided by long-term land-use planning. Residential neighbourhoods including Hampton Place, Hawthorn Place and Wesbrook Place were developed as part of UBC’s strategy to create a complete university community while supporting academic expansion.[15][16]

Housing

Private residential neighbourhoods

UBC Vancouver contains several private residential neighbourhoods. These include Chancellor Place, East Campus, Hampton Place, Hawthorn Place and Wesbrook Place.[17] Together, these neighbourhoods provide housing for faculty, staff, students and other residents while generating revenue to support the university's academic mission. These neighbourhoods were developed through UBC’s campus planning process, beginning with Hampton Place in the late 1980s and followed by later neighbourhood plans for Chancellor Place, Hawthorn Place, East Campus and Wesbrook Place.[16][18][19][20]

Student housing

There are numerous student housing residences throughout UBC's campus. These residences serve varying demographics. For example, some serve just first-year students, while others serve students with families and visiting scholars. UBC continues to expand on-campus accommodation as part of its long-term strategy to improve housing affordability and increase student access to campus housing.[21][22]

First-year housing

First-year residences include Place Vanier, Totem Park and Orchard Commons.

New and returning student housing

Accommodation for returning students includes Ritsumeikan–UBC House and Walter Gage Residence.

Upper-year and graduate housing

Housing for upper-year and graduate students includes Fairview Crescent, Marine Drive, Iona House, Brock Commons Tallwood House, Fraser Hall, Ponderosa Commons, Thunderbird, Acadia Park, Green College, St. John's College, Exchange, and tə šxʷhəleləm̓s tə k̓ʷaƛ̓kʷəʔaʔɬ (The Houses of the Ones Belonging to the Saltwater).

In 2024, the Province of British Columbia announced funding to support additional affordable student housing at UBC Vancouver. Brock Commons Phase 2, currently under development, will add approximately 600 student beds while incorporating mass timber construction and mixed-use academic, administrative and residential space.[21][23][24][25]

Demographics

As of the 2021 census, UBC Vancouver has a population of 15,103.[3] Between 2016 and 2021, UBC Vancouver's population grew by 2,247 due to the expansion of on-campus residential development.

Government and politics

As an unincorporated area, UBC Vancouver has no mayor or council. Instead, the lands are owned in fee simple by the UBC Board of Governors, who perform many of the functions of a municipal government. Like at all other universities in British Columbia, the board is empowered by the University Act to make rules on the management and control of university property and buildings, make traffic and parking rules, and enforce its rules by fines.[26] Uniquely for UBC Vancouver, the board is also vested with the authority to adopt a land use plan for the campus lands, subject to review by the Minister of Higher Education.[4] An updated land use plan, named Campus Vision 2050, was adopted by UBC for the Point Grey campus lands in July 2024, which establishes a long-term framework for academic development, housing, transportation, sustainability and public realm improvements across the Point Grey campus while recognising Musqueam partnership in future planning.[27][22][10] The UBC board's quasi-municipal powers are largely delegated to UBC Campus and Community Planning, a division of the university's vice-president of external relations.

For the purposes of representation on the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors, UBC Vancouver is part of Electoral Area A. The current Electoral Area A director is Jen McCutcheon.

For provincial elections, UBC Vancouver falls under the Vancouver-Point Grey electoral riding. The current Member of the Legislative Assembly is David Eby.

For federal elections, UBC Vancouver is in the Vancouver Quadra electoral riding. The seat is held by Wade Grant.

Transportation

A 99 B-Line bus at UBC Exchange

The internal campus street grid is mostly organized as a number of east–west roads intersecting a series of north–south malls. There are few through streets on campus as both Main Mall and University Boulevard are largely pedestrian streets, bisecting the campus in both the east–west and north–south directions. The campus is ringed by a number of arterial roads providing access to the University Endowment Lands and the City of Vancouver. These roads – consisting of NW and SW Marine Drive, Chancellor Boulevard, University Boulevard and 16th Avenue – are owned and maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit as part of the provincial highway system.[28]

The UBC campus is a major destination for the regional public transit system operated by TransLink. The UBC Exchange is a major bus terminus that serves two of the busiest bus routes in the region: the 99 B-Line to Broadway and the R4 RapidBus to 41st Avenue; both routes link to the SkyTrain.[29][30] Other bus routes to UBC Vancouver include the 4, 9, 14, 25, 33, 44, 68, 84 and N17. An extension of the SkyTrain network to replace the 99 B-Line and connect the UBC campus is part of long-term plans from TransLink and the provincial government but remains unfunded.[31][32] The proposed Millennium Line UBC Extension would extend rapid transit from Arbutus Station to the UBC campus, with planning and technical work continuing while funding for construction is sought.[33][34] The U-Pass BC is a universal transit pass that is offered at a discount for students and faculty to offset commuting costs.[35]

Campus academic facilities

AMS Student Nest

The Nest is home to most of the student clubs at UBC, as well as UBC Food Services, two convenience stores, an RBC Bank, a salon, both a bar and a pub, a movie theatre, and other student services. It is owned and operated by the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia.

Peter A. Allard School of Law

The Peter A. Allard School of Law is UBC's faculty of law. Founded in 1945, it was renamed after an alumnus in 2015 after a $30-million donation. The Allard School of Law offers a wide range of courses, especially in Indigenous law, environmental law, and business law.

Museums and galleries

There are also several museums and performing arts theatres on campus, including the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, the Frederic Wood Theatre, and the Chan Centre.

Sports and recreation

There are many sports facilities located on the UBC campus. UBC's sports teams are called the UBC Thunderbirds and they play at various locations on campus, including War Memorial Gym, Thunderbird Stadium, UBC Aquatic Centre and Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre. The Student Recreation Centre (REC) is home to intramural sports for students.

2010 Winter Olympics

For the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the Thunderbird Winter Sports Centre was replaced by a newer building, named the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre. Demolition of the old arena began in April 2006 and the arena opened on July 7, 2008. The new structure houses three ice rinks, with the main rink accommodating 6,800 spectators.[36]

Economy

Film industry

Wind Chill filming on location at the UBC campus
Chan Centre at UBC as "The 4400 Center" during filming of The 4400
Fringe filming at UBC

Some notable movies and television shows shot on campus include:

References

  1. ↑ "The University of British Columbia Vancouver Campus Plan". Campus + Community Planning. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ "UBC COMMUNITY PROFILE" (PDF). UBC Planning. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 21, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Statistics Canada (2021), Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population: UBC Vancouver, Unincorporated place (UNP) British Columbia [Designated place]
  4. 1 2 3 "Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act (No. 3)". www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Areas of the city". City of Vancouver. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Boundary of the University Endowment Lands" (PDF). University Endowment Lands. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  7. ↑ "UBC Overview & Facts". UBC. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. ↑ Parry, Malcolm. "Trade Talk: UBC Properties has been a money-maker". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Musqueam & UBC". Indigenous Portal. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Musqueam and the Public Realm | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  11. ↑ "A Brief History of UBC | University Archives". archives.library.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  12. ↑ "The Point Grey Campus Opens - UBC Centennial". UBC Centennial. Archived from the original on January 15, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  13. ↑ "UBC, the UEL, and How They Got That Way | University Archives". archives.library.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  14. ↑ "University of British Columbia | research, education, alumni | Britannica". www.britannica.com. June 15, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  15. ↑ "History of Campus Planning | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Hampton Place | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  17. ↑ "UBC Neighbourhood Plans + Planning Process". Campus + Community Planning. Campus + Community Planning. Archived from the original on May 23, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Hawthorn Place | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  19. ↑ "East Campus Neighbourhood | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Wesbrook Place | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Transformative partnership brings 1,500 new student beds to UBC Vancouver". UBC News. August 20, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Land Use Plan | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  23. ↑ Skills, Post-Secondary Education and Future (August 20, 2024). "Largest provincial investment in student housing coming to UBC". BC Gov News. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Brock Commons Phase 2 | UBC Campus & Community Planning". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Brock Commons South". UBC Facilities. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  26. ↑ "University Act". www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Amended Land Use Plan Adopted". planning.ubc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ "British Columbia Landmark Kilometre Inventory" (PDF). gov.bc.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ Chan, Kenneth (January 5, 2023). "TransLink cuts service on 99 B-Line: North America's busiest bus route". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  30. ↑ Saltman, Jennifer (January 6, 2020). "TransLink launches new and revamped RapidBus routes". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  31. ↑ Ip, Stephanie (April 20, 2018). "UBC willing to chip in for SkyTrain Millennium Line extension to reach Point Grey campus". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  32. ↑ Chan, Kenneth (March 20, 2023). "Detailed technical design and planning set to begin for UBC SkyTrain extension project". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Millennium Line UBC Extension". www.translink.ca. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  34. ↑ Vancouver, City of. "Millennium Line UBC Extension". vancouver.ca. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  35. ↑ Saltman, Jennifer (August 26, 2020). "U-Pass returning for Metro Vancouver post-secondary students in September". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  36. ↑ "UBC Thunderbird Arena". vancouver2010.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
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