Medicine Hat College residence demand is back to pre-pandemic levels. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Meghan Cobb

Demand for MHC residence high but still within capacity

Jul 22, 2022 | 3:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The school year is only six weeks away which means post-secondary students are in the process of securing housing for the fall.

Demand for on-campus housing at Medicine Hat College is back to pre-pandemic levels, but at this time remains within the school’s capacity.

“We have a very small waitlist right now, maybe ten students,” says Sandy Henderson, Dean of Student Services and the Registrar at MHC. “So, it’s likely those students will get a place here as students decide not to come, or make other arrangements off campus.”

Residences at the University of Calgary are full, and because of the tight rental market, the U of C Students’ Union is asking the community to help house students in need. So far, that isn’t a concern in Medicine Hat.

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“We do maintain an off-campus list so anyone who doesn’t get a spot right away in residence is referred to that,” Henderson says.

The college accepts housing listings from landlords to provide to students who are interested but do not vet the listings prior to passing along the information. It says students choosing to rent from the list do so at their own responsibility.

Henderson says now is the time most students are finalizing their fall plans and the college is prepared to help in the event there is an increase in demand.

“If the situation evolves like (in Calgary), we would certainly be putting calls out to the community,” explains Henderson.

According to Henderson, there are benefits to living in MHC residences, including proximity to classes and an expanded social network.

“We have some research that shows students have higher persistence rate and graduate with a higher GPA as part of that campus life,” Henderson says.

Medicine Hat College’s on-campus residence is made up of 75 townhouse units that house four single students in each. There are two bungalow-style units that can house up to two students each with mobility accommodations.

Information on Medicine Hat College’s residence program can be found on the school’s website.