Off-campus Housing

There are lots of different types of rentals – but no matter what you choose, it’s super important to see the place in person (or ask someone you trust to check it out) before sending any money or signing anything.

Here’s a quick look at your rental options:

• Single-Family House
  A full house to yourself! Includes a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and one or more bedrooms. Most also have a yard, laundry area, and parking.
• Duplex
  One building, two separate homes. You’ll share a wall with neighbours but have your own space.
• Townhouse
  A row of homes connected side by side. Like a duplex, but with more units.
• Apartment Building
  A building with lots of units, all owned and managed by the same landlord.
• Condo (Strata)
  Similar to an apartment building, but each unit is individually owned. You might rent directly from the condo owner.
• Apartments & Suites
  These can be found in apartment buildings, condos, or even in houses. Most have 1–2 bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
  • Studio/Bachelor Suites have everything in one open space (except the bathroom). No separate bedroom here—just cozy vibes.
• Room for Rent
  A private bedroom in a shared home or apartment. You’ll usually share the kitchen, and sometimes the bathroom too.
• Room and Board
  A great option if you want meals included. You get a furnished room and meals, all rolled into your rent.

No matter where you live, you’ll have a landlord, owner, or manager to connect with about rent, repairs, and anything else you need.

• Kijiji
• Facebook Marketplace
• Facebook Community Groups
  • Kimberley BC Rentals
  • Cranbrook BC Community Corkboard
  • Fernie & Area Places for Sale, Rent or Lease
  • Apartments for Rent (Golden)
• Rent Canada

If you need short term accommodation, motels may be able to offer monthly rates.

Tenant insurance (also called renters insurance) is a type of insurance policy that protects people who rent their home, such as an apartment, condo, or house. It typically covers three main things:

1. Personal Property Coverage – Protects your belongings (like furniture, electronics, and clothing) against risks like theft, fire, water damage, and vandalism.
2. Liability Coverage – Covers you if someone gets injured in your rental unit or if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property (e.g., if a fire in your unit spreads to a neighbour’s unit).
3. Additional Living Expenses – Helps pay for temporary housing and other costs if your rental becomes unlivable due to an insured event (like a fire or flood).

In British Columbia, tenant insurance typically costs $15.00 to $30.00 a month. A quick search of the internet will provide you with many options. It is worth investigating what policy works best for you.

Cranbrook/Kimberley:

• BC Transit operates city busses in Cranbrook that can bring you to many convenient locations, including the Cranbrook main campus.
• BC Transit also offers the Kimberley/Cranbrook Connector as well as buses from Creston, Fernie/Sparwood/Elkford, and Invermere/Golden.
• Cranbrook has two taxi services: Star Taxi and Key City Cabs

Fernie:

• Check out the www.Fernie.com website
• “Renting In Fernie” Facebook page
• “Moving to Fernie in 2023/24” Facebook page
• “Fernie & Area Places for Sale, Rent or Lease” Facebook page
• Fernie has the #FernieStokeShuttle during ski season that runs from town to Fernie Alpine Resort.
• Tunnel49 Taxi Service and Kootenay Taxi are the taxi providers in Fernie.