An idea to bring a Loyalist College residence to Downtown Belleville is being put on hold.
Belleville’s Economic and Destination Development Committee heard Thursday that a request for proposals has already gone out to build new residence facilities on the Wallbridge-Loyalist Road campus, so the downtown idea is being shelved.
Committee Chair Ryan Williams says a bigger issue now is trying to find more affordable options for students who want to live off campus.
“Students that have been coming in are also looking for affordable housing and it fits the mould with the whole picture of affordable housing, especially around the rental crisis we’ve had. But again, we’re looking forward to the future and what we still need to do, and I know from the city’s end we still need to build quite a few affordable housing units to alleviate the demand we’ve had over the last two or three years.”
Williams says the city’s rental vacancy rate is just under 3% right now and he expects that will likely increase if fewer students move here due to COVID-19.
