A Quick Guide to Housing/Accomodations in Edmonton

[Guest summervirus]

A Quick Guide to Housing/Accomodations in Edmonton

 

This guide is intended to be a quickie overview of the popular places to live for medical students and residents in Edmonton. By no means is this meant to be comprehensive! I just hope this gives you a better idea of where to begin your search for a place to live.

 

(This was last updated on June 7, 2006.) * I added some information about the places around campus that I recently checked out and put up a few more links for potential accomodations!

 

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Table of Contents

 

1. Where do I stay during my interview?

2. Where do I start?

3. Purchasing a condo/house

4. Deciding where to live

5. Renting a place near campus UPDATED

6. Renting a place off campus

7. Websites to look at for accomodations UPDATED

8. Places to stay away from

9. Photos of places near campus NEW

 

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1. Where do I stay during my interview?

 

Once you receive your letter offering you an interview, the package will also include information outlining the available accomodations.

 

Hotel/Hostel. I don't know anyone that has stayed at any of these hotels except Campus Towers. Campus Towers is located around three blocks away from the Medical Sciences Building where you will be interviewed. It is a short walk (1-2 minutes). I'm sure all of them are reputable since the Admissions Office recommends them:

     
Campus Towers  (780) 439-6060
YMCA           (780) 421-9622
YWCA           (780) 423-9922
Youth Hostel   (780) 429-0140
Varscona Hotel (780) 434-6111

Billet. Your package will also include a list of students that are willing to let you billet with them. It's a great opportunity to meet your future colleagues and to ask questions about the school. It's probably the most relaxing and friendly way to spend your time here in Edmonton. We're nice people... really!

 

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2. Where do I start?

 

The best place to start is ask some friends or family to take a day off with you and to look around the city for potential places to live. (How simple)! But, that's probably difficult for most of you... after all, it's the out-of-town folk that tend to be the ones that need to look for living accomodations.

 

That said, check out the student housing on campus and poke around the Students' Union housing registry.

 

It is also usually worth it to actually stroll around the university neighborhood if you're interested in living near campus. As shkelo wisely said, "most of the apartments around the university area do not need to advertise. They usually only put out a sign on the lawn. If you want a place for September, go looking right at the 1st of the every month up and down the streets."

 

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3. Purchasing a condo/house

 

I don't know too much about this. If anyone has any sage advice that he/she wants to add to this section, please tell me!

 

There are a number of really nice condos located within a 10 block radius of the hospital. Additionally, there are also some along Saskatchewan Drive, which is a tad further. It can be a 15+ minute walk. Condo fees really depend on the type of facilities that are available (parking, pool, weight room), location, and the type of building you're interested in. A number of my classmates have invested in condos. Some of the condos around Saskatchewan drive sell for around $400,000 and up.

 

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4. Deciding where to live

 

Shkelo points out that,

Although high rise apartments are popular with many of my classmates, I think they are too expensive to justify the extra monthly cost (especially if you're also considering student loans for med school). There are some great places to live close to the university for reasonable money. A friend of mine lives in a recently renovated 1-bedroom apartment 6 blocks away from the university. She pays $550/mo + elec.

As Megs said,

I agree with shkelo that hi-rises are getting pretty expensive. Heat and water in, we are paying $920 for a 2 bedroom (plus elec, phone etc.). I found that, from the major buildings that had 2 bedrooms available (lots in the Garneau area), the price of ours is really comparable (or less than). But as summervirus posted, you do have to factor in transportation costs. The only reason I bring up the downtown area is for out-of-towners who maybe don't have the ability to check out apartments many weekends. You can find lots of these apartments on the internet to visually see the rooms and layout, vs. renting unseen properties that advertise on their lawns.

 

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5. Renting a place near campus

 

I think that most of the out-of-town students live in the university-area. I think that a 10-20 minute walk to the hospital is very reasonable and convenient. Most people in first and second year don't own cars. It's a nice, trendy area. The location is convenient: the school, grocery market, drug store, banks, and LRT are all within walking distance.

 

Residence. Newton Place is literally the closest you can get to the hospital. It's directly across the street. (You may have seen it when you came for the interview. There's a Subway, Chinese restaurant, and pizza place on the ground floor). It used to be a private apartment but the university purchased it a few years ago so now it's part of residence. The floor plan is exactly the same as Garneau Towers, an independent apartment building located on the same block. However, because it's residence, it's a bit cheaper. If you want to go there, apply early because the waiting list is long. The detailed breakdown of the cost of rent can be found here. Although Newton Place had a reputation for being run down, it is being extensively rennovated and cleaned up. The building is in quite good condition now!

 

Alternatively, if you apply for residence, you might be considering HUB. I, personally, do not recommend HUB. I have quite a few friends there and they think it's okay. There's even someone in my class that lived there during first year med. But, it's noisy! HUB is residence built into a mall.

 

There are a few other places too like Garneau, ECV, Michener Park, and Pembina Hall. One of the girls in my class lived in Pembina and she said it was okay. It also has a computer room with fast internet for free use. (Lister Hall and Faculte Saint-Jean aren't intended for med students so I wouldn't recommend applying there).

 

When applying for residences that are intended for older students (i.e. Newton Place and Michener), tell them you're a graduate student. I made the mistake of writing down that I was in "first year medicine" on my application and they confused me with a first year university student and rejected my application! I had to resubmit my application and it set me back a few positions on the waiting list for residence.

 

For residence, rates include all utilities except telephone and cable television.

 

Private apartments/houses/rooms. There are also some places nearby where owners rent out houses, rooms, or a basement to students. The best place to keep updated about those places is to walk around the neighborhood or search through the housing registry.

 

A lot/most of the out-of-town students live in Windsor Park Plaza/Lofts. It's an apartment complex that's around 4 blocks away from the hospital. But, it's quite expensive. As of June 2006, the cost of a studio (bachelor's) suite ranges from $692-802, a one bedroom unit from $830-985, a two bedroom unit from $991-1280 in Windsor Park Plaza. The costs are slightly less in the lofts with a studio ranging from $750-760, a one bedroom unit from $875-885, a one bedroom with a den costing $1025-1125, and a two bedroom from $1045-1055. The rent includes all heat, water, and electricity; if you stay in the Lofts, rent also includes high-speed internet! The amenities are very elaborate with a swimming pool, fitness centre, study hall, reception hall, small movie theatre, hobby room, etc.

 

A less well-known apartment complex is Garneau Bay. There are only one bedroom suites. The cost is approximately $700, which includes heat and water. As of June 2006, the building is now under a new manager and is slowly being cleaned up. Some parts of the building have run down quite a bit but the units and building in general are being renovated now. Units will now have new carpet and tiles put in with repainting of the walls. I was told that units that face the south are extremely hot during the summer months. This building allows pets!

 

Another really popular place is Garneau Towers. Most places around the university area cost around the same amount (give-or-take $100 or so). The floors are all hardwood so cleaning is easier. There are bachelor's, one-, and two-bedroom suites available. I hear that rent for a 2-bedroom is approximately $1000. Heat, water, and electricity are included in the rent. The management is pretty nice. Garneau Towers also allows pets!

 

There's a place that's one Whyte Ave (around 5 blocks from the hospital) that's supposed to be really nice. It's called Concord Tower. I've been told that it's well kept and costs around the same as Garneau Towers. I've never been able to take a look at the units myself because there has never been a vacancy whenever I've checked!

 

There's also another place close to the hospital called Sir John Franklin. There are one and two bedroom units available with one bedroom units ranging from $960-1020 and two bedroom units from $1160-1255 a month. There is a fitness centre in the basement. Heat and water are included in the rent.

 

There's lots of apartment buildings along Saskatchewan Drive and the north side of Whyte Ave (82-90 ave and 109-104 st) that are within walking distance. Note, the hospital is located around 84 avenue and 112 street.

 

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6. Renting a place off campus

 

Some students choose to live downtown. The LRT can take you from downtown to campus in 5 minutes and (I think) the LRT comes every 10 minutes. A bus pass costs around $50/month. You can check out the Edmonton Transit website to see if the place where you want to live is close to the transit line.

 

I know that there are quite a few of my classmates that live downtown. If you choose to live downtown too, I suggest that you find a place near the LRT-line. You'll need to take the LRT across the river to get to the UofA. The buses don't operate very efficiently so try not to rely on them if you don't have to. I have a friend that used to live close to the Grey Nuns Hospital, which is in the south part of the city. He used to need to take two buses to get home so it's typically a one-hour bus ride (one way).

 

If you plan to live downtown, a few places that I heard are okay include "Lancaster" and most of the buildings along Jasper Ave and the Corona LRT station (if I remember correctly).

 

If you live away from the university (like in downtown), the rent is typically cheaper than what you'll find in the university-area. But, remember to calculate the cost of transportation and utilities. Most of the places near the university include basic utlities (but you still have to pay for cable, internet, and phone yourself).

 

A number of students/moderators on this message board live off campus. So, feel free to leave a message for them if you have questions. It's also good to check out the Edmonton Journal (local newspaper) for listings.

 

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7. Websites to look at for accomodations

 

Apartments. For information about...

 

* ... Windsor Park Plaza (very popular with the med students), Windsor Park Lofts, and the Galen, visit Westcorp Inc.

 

* ... Garneau Towers (also very popular), visit CAP REIT.

 

* ... Concord Tower, visit RentEdmonton.com.

 

* ... Sir John Franklin, visit MidWest Property Management.

 

* ... places all over Edmonton, visit Boardwalk Rental Communities, RentEdmonton.com, and also the Students' Union housing registry.

 

Residence. Want to live on campus?

 

* Take a look at the student housing on campus website. Remember to apply early!

 

Other Schtuff. Stuff that's helpful.

 

* The Medical Students' Association Housing Listing is a listing for both UofA and visiting medical students.

 

* The Edmonton Transit website has maps of the city. If you're planning on living far from campus, take a look to see if your new home is near a bus/LRT line.

 

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8. Places to stay away from... (run, run, run)! :eek

 

Hmm. I don't know of any places off the top of my head that are run by slum lords. :hat But, if you know of some icky places, please drop me a note and I'll include the names here.

 

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9. Photos of places near campus

 

I took some photos for a friend that is moving to Edmonton. I decided to post some of the photos here to give you a better idea of what the buildings look like. Some of the official websites (above) also have photos of the interior and exterior of the buildings. See some of the photos I took here.

 

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Thanks to everyone that contributed to the Alberta message board! I have compiled some of the information you posted here. (Special thanks to shkelo, EB, and mirrille for your earlier posts with great tips and info. Thanks to Lactic Folly for helping edit some of the details)! If you have any questions or if you spot any problems/mistakes with this document, please let me know! Thanks.

[AmandaBrand]

I came across this great post about rental housing accomodations in Edmonton and would like to add another rental website called rentersOnline.com

 

You'll find many homes for rent around the university area, including apartments, main floor suites, basement suites, and houses for rent.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Amanda

[bigfootspartan]

Actually I'd have to say HUB is really quiet. Even on weekends most people just go to bed. So the upside is that if you need perfect quiet to study and sleep it's a good place, but if you like to have people over on weekends things can get a bit rough with noise complaints and such, since the walls are apparently paper thin.

[Jochi1543]

I also want to comment that the thread was created a few years ago and the transit pass is now included in your tuition. I live right on the direct bus line to the U, so even though I have a car, I've opted to bus it just because it's quick and free. It would actually probably take me longer to drive just because of the hassle involved in finding parking.

[peteska]

Hi guys,

 

My neighbour Gary runs a hostel downtown and asked me to pass along this info. I have never stayed there - but Gary is super nice!

 

Peter

Med 2012

 

 

New short term accommodations in downtown Edmonton. GO Backpackers Hostel, 1 block away from the LRT providing a direct link to the Health Sciences station. And one block from transit centres providing one bus service to the Royal Alexandria, Misercordia and Grey Nuns Hospital. Choices range from 6 bed dorms, 4 bed dorms and private rooms all with their own washrooms. Full kitchen and laundry facilities to keep the daily budget in check and a good vibe. Great place whether you are doing elective for a couple of weeks, coming to the U of A for an interview or moving to Edmonton. Check it out at http://www.gohostels.ca for the most up to date information or call them at 1-877-646-7835.

[INTJ-A]

Fast-forward to 2020: cheapest non-shared accommodation (i.e.studio) within walking distance to uni is nearly $1000 if not more