Capilano University opens first on-campus housing with 362-bed Treehouse residence in North Vancouver
The six-storey building, named by the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations, houses first and second-year students and connects to a 250-seat mass-timber dining hall.
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Capilano University unveiled its first on-campus student housing Wednesday with the opening of Treehouse (Lam?íwa/?qe?t?w?tx?) at its North Vancouver campus, a six-storey residence designed to ease the transition into university life.
The building provides 362 student homes in a mix of single and double occupancy rooms, with twelve wheelchair-accessible units. Each floor includes shared laundry, washrooms, study and lounge spaces, and a kitchen. The ground floor houses a First Nations-focused reflection and gathering space, a café, bike storage, a multipurpose room, and student support services.
The residence's name was provided by both the S?wx?wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and the s?lilw?ta? (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), translated to Treehouse and evoking the shared concept of a "home in the woods."
"For many post-secondary students, having a place to live on campus can make all the difference," said Minister of Infrastructure Bowinn Ma. "This new student housing will give students a supportive place to live, study and build community."
A connected 250-seat mass-timber dining hall provides meal services to on-campus residents and commuting students. Manroop Kaur, a CapU student who previously commuted three hours daily, said the on-campus option transformed her experience. "Treehouse means more students can have that same opportunity right on campus – closer to class, closer to community and better able to succeed," she said.
