The University of Calgary has completed the decommissioning of Varsity Courts marking the end of the university’s long–standing family housing complex as the site is being prepared for future redevelopment.
According to a statement provided to the Gauntlet by the University of Calgary, the final phase of the Varsity Courts decommissioning concluded on July 31, 2026. The land has since been returned to the University of Calgary Properties Group for future re-development as part of University District.
“The buildings had reached the end of their operational life,” the statement reads.
Varsity Courts provided townhouse-style housing intended primarily for mature students and students with families. Its closure removes one of the university’s dedicated family housing options at a time when housing affordability and availability remain a concern for students in Calgary.
According to CBC news, residents had already raised concerns about the re-development in 2024.
Former Varsity Courts resident Janine Giles said the primary concern was the lack of an alternative source of affordable family housing, while fellow resident Su Joy Subroto highlighted the added difficulty international student families face securing rentals without fixed incomes.
In its statement, the U of C said its residents were notified about the planned transition in 2021 and received ongoing communication throughout the decommissioning process.
“We recognize this was a difficult transition for some residents and their families,” the statement reads.
In its written statement to the Gauntlet, the University of Calgary outlined the measures taken to support residents during the transition:
“As part of the transition, the university provided a range of support measures, including town hall sessions, a dedicated staff member and other resources, to help residents navigate alternative housing options.”
The university did not provide the number of residents affected by the decommissioning or clarify how many residents had to move as a result. It also did not specify whether former Varsity Courts residents were offered placements in other university-operated housing.
The U of C was also asked whether renovation or refurbishment had been considered as an alternative to demolition. The university did not address whether those options had been explored, stating only that the buildings had reached the end of their operational life.
The cost and source of funding of the demolition also remains unclear.
However, the university noted that it does not currently intend to replace Varsity Courts with new family housing.
“The university continues to use insights from its Residence Master Plan to inform future housing planning,” the university said. “Based on evolving housing needs and several years of declining demand for family housing, there are currently no plans for future on-campus family housing.”
The university did not provide figures showing the extent of the decline in demand for family housing.
The Gauntlet also asked whether current or former Varsity Courts residents and the broader student community were consulted before the demolition decision was made.
Although the university's written statement detailed the communication and support measures provided to residents during the decommissioning process, it did not specify whether residents were consulted before the decision to close Varsity Courts was made.
With the decommissioning complete, the future of the site now rests with the University of Calgary Properties Group.
The demolition also marks the loss of dedicated, comparatively affordable family housing for students at the U of C, housing that the university currently has no plans to replace.
For former residents who had already raised concerns about finding affordable alternatives, the closure represents the end of a housing option specifically designed around the needs of student families.
