Housing & Transportation
Getting Settled
The search for a place to live should begin early as housing can be more difficult to find toward the end of the summer. Students who arrive in late August often face a limited choice and higher costs. We strongly encourage all students to search for housing early and even consider taking up residence a week or two prior to classes starting so you have some time to settle before classes begin.
Places4Students.com
We`ve recently partnered with Places4Students Inc. to provide an online collection of numerous housing options.
Places4Students provides students, schools and landlords with the highest quality, off-campus housing service. This large real-time database is for student housing vacancies in our area, including photos and text, contact information and property features.
STUDENTS
If you are looking for a home away from home, search listing on Places4Students. Brandon University residency is also included in the search:
As a student you can also post a FREE roommate or sublet advertisement on Places4Students here:
LANDLORDS
Post your property listings, with fantastic new features, such as:
- Google-mapping capabilities
- Up-to-date database that is real-time 24/7
- Descriptive listings with photos, amenity icons and floor plans to advertise your property most effectively
- Quick search capabilities allow students to sort listings by price, preferred features and specific requirements
- Live customer support (toll-free) or “help” link online
Post your new listing here now:
Customer Service:
admin@places4students.com
1.866.766.0767
Monday-Thursday 9am-7pm EST
Friday 9am-5pm EST
Brandon University Residence
Brandon University (BU) residences are available to Assiniboine students. You can learn more about these options on the BU website.
FAQs about BU Residence
Can Assiniboine students live in Brandon University (BU) Residence?
Yes! BU Residence is a great option for students attending Assiniboine Community College. Brandon University can accommodate students taking any program, including apprenticeship students.
How does the meal program work for Assiniboine students?
Assiniboine students can take full advantage of the meal program provided by BU Food Services.
- With chef-inspired meals and convenient service hours, Assiniboine students enjoy the same benefits of the food program that BU students do.
- The BU meal program is not integrated with the cafeteria at Assiniboine.
- Residents who study at Assiniboine select the “ACC Meal Plan” when applying for residence – this meal plan rate considers that most Assiniboine students are off-campus during lunchtime hours.
- The meal program is a declining balance – essentially it works like that of a debit card. All the money paid towards board fees is tied to your BU student ID Card and students can pay as much or as little as they like per day.
- Money can be added to a student’s meal card at any time.
Do I have to live with a roommate? Can I pick my roommate?
- BU Residence offers a wide variety of room types to students, including single occupancy and double occupancy.
- Applicants can select a single occupancy room type; however, there are a limited number of single-occupancy rooms available and are not guaranteed.
- If you have a roommate in mind when applying for residence, you can state that on the Residence Application Form.
- Our office works with students to ensure that we offer the most preferred room based on what we have to offer.
What’s included in a BU Residence Stay?
- Fully furnished rooms
- Utilities and Top-Quality Wi-Fi are included in the costs
- Great common spaces, including games lounges and study rooms
- Opportunities to make friends and meet fellow ACC students
- Free onsite laundry – just bring your own soap!
- Secure access with security guard presence on campus
Can I have guests stay with me overnight?
Guests are welcome to stay with you in BU Residence, as long as you and the guest follow rules and guidelines of our guest policy.
More questions can be answered on Brandon University's Residence Resources webpage. Contact residence@brandonu.ca for any questions or residence inquiries.
Other housing options include:
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Parkland Campus students can also visit the City of Dauphin's website for resources including a rental housing list. The Dauphin Herald advertises housing, as does eBrandon and Kijiji. Additionally, students moving to Dauphin may also contact the Learning Strategist/Student Success Advisor at Parkland Campus for more information and assistance in securing housing at jamiesonk@assiniboine.net or 204.622.2222 ext 6597.
IMPORTANT: Accommodations listed are not endorsed or supervised by Assiniboine, and students must make their own arrangements. Students are advised to inspect all accommodations before accepting them.
Transit and Parking
Parking
If you are driving to school, parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some campuses offer paid electrical and non-electrical sites, while others have free scramble parking lots. For more information on parking and fees at all campuses, visit assiniboine.net/parking.
Transit and U-Pass
For students studying at campuses in Brandon, a transit bus pass (U-Pass) is included in your student fees at no additional cost. This pass is available at the Registrar's Office at the Victoria Avenue East campus. For a complete schedule and transit routes, visit brandontransit.ca.
Under the ACCSA Universal Bus Pass (U-Pass) system, all Assiniboine students attending Brandon campuses can board any Brandon Transit regular route bus at any time, using the SMART Card scanner system. Students wishing to access this service must acquire a U-Pass card from the Registrar's Office with a valid Assiniboine student card.
Driving in Canada
Refer to the Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) website for information about getting a driver's license. International students of most countries will be required to write and pass a knowledge test and road test. It is illegal to drive without a valid license. If you own a vehicle, you must also have insurance.
Please Note, for Agribusiness, Civil Technician, Horticultural Production, Land and Water Management, and Sustainable Food Systems programs you will need a driver's license by the end of your first year. Access to a vehicle will also be beneficial to you. A driver's license is not an admissions requirement at Assiniboine, but if you do not have one, you may not be able to graduate from the program.
In the practicum or co-op in these programs, most work opportunities will require you to drive to locations outside of the city bus service. If you do not have a driver's license, you may not be able to find a practicum/co-op placement, as required for graduation. Receiving a Manitoba driver's license can take several months for any new resident of Manitoba. If you do not have a driver’s license in your home country, it could take nine months or longer (which means you could not complete your practicum/co-op at the normally scheduled time).
CommunityCity of Brandon
The City of Brandon offers a relocation guide which you may find useful if you're new to the city.
Brandon is a city of approximately 50,000 in southwestern Manitoba. The nearest large centre is Winnipeg (population 700,000), which is 200 km east on Highway 1.
Brandon offers two medium-sized shopping centres, a multi-screen cinema, and other services. Public transportation is available throughout the city, seven days a week. We think we have everything—but people coming from large cities may find it very quiet.
Medical care is readily available throughout the city.
Assiniboine Community College has a library and Brandon has a public library in the Town Centre Mall downtown. To obtain a library card, bring a piece of identification with your Brandon address when you visit the library.
Also at the Town Centre Mall (second floor) is the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba. There is no entrance fee for this gallery. Check out Brandon Economic Development to find what concerts, exhibitions, movies, and theatre are happening around the city. Or, find out why Canadians are so passionate about their hockey, by going to a Brandon Wheat Kings game when they are playing at the Keystone Centre.
At the college's Victoria Avenue East campus, there is a games room open to all students. Thunderbird Bowl, the city’s only bowling alley is located at the south end of 18th Street and has 5- and 10-pin bowling. There are numerous places to get your exercise also. The college has its own small weight room at the Victoria Avenue East campus, and there are many gyms around the city. There are many parks and walking/biking paths that you will find around the city.
There are many places to worship all over the city of Brandon.
Brandon's air service flies to and from Calgary, Alberta on WestJet Airlines. Brandon Shuttle makes regularly scheduled trips to the Winnipeg International Airport.
Helpful Brandon links
See City of Brandon and Relocation Guide and Brandon Economic Development for information about services and facilities in Brandon.
City of Dauphin
The college also has the Parkland Campus in Dauphin, Manitoba, a small city with approximately 10,000 people. Dauphin is approximately a two-hour drive from Brandon and a four-hour drive from Winnipeg.
Dauphin has doctors and a hospital, a small shopping mall, and food stores and restaurants.
Parkland Crossing reserves space for Parkland Campus students until September each year, and then the rooms are available to the general public. This is a small residence with single rooms and shared kitchen and bath. Each room contains a single bed, a small fridge, and dresser. Rooms range in price. The contact phone number is 204.638.3333. The address is 220 Whitmore Ave West. Parkland Crossing is approximately 3 km from the campus; there is no bus service between the two. Taxi cabs between Parkland Crossing and the campus cost about $8 one-way.
The other housing options would be to find a room or room with meals in a family’s private home or to find and furnish an apartment on your own. The campus is on the outer part of the city and therefore the walking distance from only some homes/apartments—it could be difficult to find a place to live and walk to college if you don’t have a car.