MAPPING VICTORIA - UVic

University of Victoria - Sinclair Rd

Building Info

17-storey student residence building with a 7-storey wing
Total of 510 beds, consisting of 90 quad units (360 beds) in the tower and 150 studio units for graduate students in the 7-storey wing
Project cost is estimated at $178 million as of 2025

Developer

University of Victoria
University of Victoria Project Website

Architect

Diamond Schmitt Architects

Context

Location - parking lot off Sinclair Road, replacing about 120 existing parking spaces

Status

May 2026 - On May 4, 2026 Saanich council unanimously approved a development variance permit which will be valid for 48 months in the hopes provincial funding is restored to the project in the next four years. The Province has indicated to UVic that funding will be held back for five years.
February 2026 - the Provincial Government announced in its 2026 Budget that the Sinclair Road Housing tower at UVic will be delayed with an expected completion now in 2034 instead of 2029.
On October 3, 2025 UVic provided a status update: "UVic has held two phases of community consultations to date, sharing information and receiving input from neighbours and other interest-holders that will help shape the project. A final phase of engagement is anticipated in early Spring 2026 to share the design and provide updated information on the construction process." Construction was expected to begin Spring 2026 and complete in 2029

Media and Images

May 6, 2026 CHEK News story
May 5, 2026 Times Colonist story on the Saanich trying to keep "240-unit UVic housing project alive"
February 21, 2026 Times Colonist story on five year delay
October 3, 2025 UVic announcement
October 4, 2025 Times Colonist news story

February 22, 2026 CHEK News on funding delay

Location

Google Street View

July 2025
August 2017

Planning Process Deep Dive

On December 3, 2025 Saanich held a virtual Advisory Design Panel meeting with representatives from UVic and Diamond Schmitt Architects including Anna Maria Llanos, lead for their Vancouver office. The full minutes can be viewed here.

As this is an institutionally zoned project it does not require a Development Permit; however, "due to the scale of the project, staff deemed it appropriate to seek ADP feedback (with the applicant’s support)." The ADP motion which was unanimously supported stated:

“That it be recommended that the design to construct a new student housing project in a proposed 17-storey high-rise with a seven-storey podium at 3800 Finnerty Road be approved subject to considerations of:

Increased natural light into the residential spaces;
Additional amenity space within the tower;
Softening or increased visual interest of the project.”

While supportive in general, the ADP noted the following:

The external expression was described as institutional rather than residential.
The architecture was characterized as austere, institutional, or lacking warmth and residential character.
Key concerns included the low window-to-wall ratio and limited natural light, repetitive cladding with minimal volumetric articulation, and a reliance on surface treatments rather than massing shifts to create visual interest.
Terracotta and brick materials were positively received as warm, high-quality, campus appropriate elements.
Given the tower’s future visibility as the tallest structure on campus, members encouraged additional attention to its visual prominence.

The Advisory Desing Panel was reviewing the plans and rendering shown below:

Although UVic did not formally release the final plans due to the funding delay, they did include this rendering in their February 18, 2026 statement which likely was the final design and incorporates some of the feedback from the Advisory Design Panel

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