We are KPU Communities Trust, building a future where collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity thrive, and our developments become catalysts for positive social impact.

Purpose

The KPU Communities Trust seeks to empower and inspire transformative change by building better and more sustainable communities, fostering meaningful engagement with the broader community, championing First Nations reconciliation, and creating comfortable and innovative spaces that seamlessly bridge the university with its neighbours.

Our Vision; Our Mission

We envision a future where collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity thrive, and where our developments become catalysts for positive social change. By utilizing non-academic lands for development, our mission is to actively contribute to the well-being and prosperity of KPU and the KPU Foundation by leading the way in sustainable development practices and embracing the rich cultural diversity that surrounds us.

We are More Than Just Buildings

We believe in creating spaces that invite collaboration, dialogue, and shared experiences—places where students, faculty, staff, and community members can come together to cultivate ideas, celebrate diversity, and forge enduring connections.

Reconciliation with First Nations

Central to our purpose is our dedication to First Nations reconciliation. We recognize and respect the importance of Indigenous history, knowledge, and traditions. We are committed to engaging in meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities, promoting cultural understanding, and ensuring Indigenous voices are heard and valued throughout our endeavors.

Environmental, Social, Governance

By integrating sustainable practices into our development projects, we aim to minimize our ecological footprint and contribute to the preservation of our planet for future generations. Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond buildings and infrastructure; it encompasses a comprehensive approach to community well-being, encompassing social, economic, and environmental considerations.

Collaboration and Partnerships

We firmly believe that by listening to and collaborating with local rightsholders and key parties, government bodies, and organizations, we can make a lasting impact on the communities we call home. Through engagement and dialogue, we strive to understand and address the unique needs and aspirations of our neighbors, fostering a sense of ownership, pride, and shared responsibility.

Together, we seek to create a future where KPU’s campuses and lands are beacons of positive change, provincial centres for student and academic excellence, thriving communities, and where sustainable, innovative, and comfortable spaces serve as catalysts for social progress. We want to build bridges, break barriers, and leave a legacy of positive impact in our shared world.

3D render for KPU2050 Official Campus Plan by DIALOG

About

Plans for investment, growth, and development around KPU’s campuses unlocks significant potential for KPU’s real estate portfolio. This was acknowledged by KPU’s Board of Governors in December 2021 when they authorized the university’s administration to move forward with operationalizing a Communities Trust. KPU understood its limitations as a public sector university, noting that it can only carry on a business if it is related to its academic mandate either directly such as campus books stores or student housing or indirectly such as parkades or food services to name a few. Over the following months KPU completed the necessary due diligence, established an arms-length corporation, and settled the KPU Communities Trust on June 1, 2022, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the university, to lead and facilitate the delivery of non-academic developments and revenue generating activities for the benefit of KPU.

KPU Communities Trust began operations on August 2, 2022, with a simple target in mind – to be an agent for transformative change while enhancing the campus experience. KPU Communities Trust exists to advance the KPU2050 Official Campus Plan, looking specifically at strategic land development in consultation and collaboration with Indigenous rightsholders, local communities and other key parties.

OUR COMMITMENT

The KPU Communities Trust is honoured to operate in the region south of the Fraser River which overlaps with the unceded traditional and ancestral territory of the Kwantlen \q̓ʷa:n̓ƛ̓ən̓\, Musqueam \xʷməθkʷəy̓əm\, Katzie \q̓ic̓əy̓\, Semiahmoo \səmyəmaʔ\, Tsawwassen \scəw̓aθən\, Qay’Qayt \qiqéyt\ and Kwikwetlem \kʷikʷəƛ̓əm\ peoples who, since time immemorial, have stewarded and cared for the lands on which we learn, play, work and live. By integrating sustainable practices into our development projects, we aim to minimize our ecological footprint and contribute to the preservation of our planet for future generations. Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond buildings and infrastructure; it encompasses a comprehensive approach to community well-being, encompassing social, economic, and environmental considerations.

Through early engagement, deep listening, collaboration and humility, we embark on this journey of healing, building and reconciliation – together.

m̓i ce:p kʷətxʷiləm

Welcome everyone

Background

Campus Master Plan

In March 2021, the Board of Governors unanimously endorsed and approved its first-ever campus master plan, KPU2050. KPU2050 thoughtfully engaged the KPU community, key parties, and external agencies to develop a new vision, principles, and concepts to shape KPU’s future campuses.

KPU2050 was developed with contributions and feedback from the KPU community and took a thoughtful approach to planning for growth and development across KPU’s campuses. KPU2050 seeks to address decolonization and reconciliation, sustainability, inclusivity, wellbeing, vibrancy, flexibility, and connectivity in the future campus concepts and describes four priorities (below) that serve as the important guides for all future development.

KPU Surrey

KPU Surrey is located at 12666 72nd Avenue and will benefit from the new R6 RapidBus service that connects the Scott Road SkyTrain station to Newton Town Centre. The R6 RapidBus is expected to launch in early 2024 and will make the journey between Scott Road Station and Newton faster and more reliable.

The KPU Surrey campus has the greatest number of academic buildings within the university’s portfolio and is situated on two parcels of land (approximately 11 hectares). Highlights include:

Open lab system with access to standard industry equipment such as optical microscopes, UV-visible spectrometers, centrifuges, atomic absorption spectrometers, gas chromatographs, telescopes and environment chambers;
Psychology labs to conduct computer simulation exercises and research studies; and,
Visual arts studios that accommodate many specialties including painting and ceramics and a public art gallery that showcases installations by students and visiting artists.

KPU Richmond

KPU Richmond is located at 8771 Lansdowne Road and adjacent to one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the history of the city. The Lansdowne Mall Redevelopment will see over 4.5 million square feet of development and homes for 10,000 new residents – all happening directly across from campus. The first phase of Lansdowne’s redevelopment includes 1,100 homes and new retail offerings with construction starting in 2025, positioning KPU Richmond to become the academic hub in the city’s emerging downtown.

KPU Richmond is home to the Wilson School of Design, the Centre for Entertainment Arts, and Sustainable Agriculture. Highlights include:

State-of-the-art graphic design computer labs;
Interior design work studios for production and project development;
Industry-level production facilities; and,
Fully equipped science labs.

KPU Langley

KPU Langley is located at 20901 Langley Bypass and a walkable seven to 10 minutes from the proposed easternmost SkyTrain station in the heart of Langley City. With an in-service date of 2028, the new SkyTrain station will provide KPU Langley faculty, staff and students with access to over 100 kilometers of track that spans nine municipalities. The new high-capacity transit line supports the City’s aspirations of densifying its downtown area and this is reflected in the Official Community Plan which identifies KPU Langley as a key growth node.

KPU Langley is situated on two parcels of land (approximately 18 hectares) and is home to KPU’s Faculty of Science and Faculty of Health. Highlights include:

Cutting-edge science labs;
A horticulture field lab;
One hectare turf training facility;
Nursing labs and simulation spaces;
Brewing Instructional Laboratory;
250-seat auditorium; and,
Music classrooms.

KPU Tech

KPU Tech is located at 5500 180 Street and within the Cloverdale area of the City of Surrey. The campus is adjacent to the site for a new hospital and cancer centre which are slated for completion in 2027. This provincial investment (currently $2.8 billion) will dramatically change the area and creates tremendous opportunity to utilize KPU’s adjacent and undeveloped industrial zoned lands to support future growth in businesses and services that benefit from an adjacent hospital. The campus lands are within an area defined by the regional government as Employment Lands, so business and economic growth are strongly supported in this area.

KPU Tech is situated on two parcels of land (approximately 28 hectares and focuses on training apprentices in a variety of technical trades such as automotive mechanical repair, cement mason, industrial warehousing, millwright, welding, carpentry, and farrier. In addition, the campus is home to the Public Safety Communications 9-1-1 and drafting programs. Completed in 2007, KPU Tech was the City of Surrey’s first LEED Gold building.

KPU Civic Plaza

KPU Civic Plaza is located at 13485 Central Boulevard and occupies the five office floors located within the Civic Plaza tower, Surrey’s tallest building. It is the newest campus in KPU’s portfolio and conveniently located in the heart of downtown Surrey, directly on the SkyTrain’s Expo Line and adjacent to Surrey Central Station and the bus loop. The campus is within walking distance of local restaurants, coffee shops and shopping, neighbouring both Surrey City Hall and the iconic Surrey Centre Library.

Given its unique office-setting, KPU Civic Plaza does not provide development or redevelopment potential, however, its proximity to amenities, rapid transit, and City Hall makes it an important and strategic campus for KPU’s programmatic offer. KPU’s Melville School of Business offers post-baccalaureate and graduate diplomas at KPU Civic Plaza. Additionally, KPU’s Continuing & Professional Studies Division also offers programs at this campus.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Living Campus

KPU heard a call for campuses that foster amenities, services and destinations that bring vibrancy to campus life. Students, faculty and staff all want a reason to stay on campus after their school or workday ends, and possibly to extend the stay on campus through the introduction of on-campus student housing.

Connected

For some, this means the ability to be connected to the events and programs offered in their neighbouring community or on other campuses. For others, this means the ability to travel between the campuses conveniently. Noting the COVID Pandemic, this priority takes on the potential to see the KPU community be better connected digitally, through online learning and working platforms.

Green

Students, faculty and staff are eager for KPU to continue its efforts to be a leader in sustainability, starting from the physical campus in acknowledgment of KPU’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050 and extending out to the many facets of the university. They also want to see green spaces on campus that can allow for biophilia, recreation or outdoor study.

Resilient

The KPU community wants the campuses to be resilient through an uncertain future. This was expressed through the theme of adaptable spaces and sustainable resource stewardship.

k̓ʷam̓k̓ʷəm̓ kʷθə šxʷqʷeləwən ct ʔə tə n̓a xeɬ

We have strong minds on this path

Our Goals

1 To establish new communities and enterprises that support the KPU2050 Official Campus Plan

2 To provide amenities, support KPU’s mandate beyond traditional funding sources, and to generate new incremental revenues

See KPU2050 Official Campus Plan

Diagram illustrates the relationship between KPU and the KPU Trust:

– KPU caused the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary, KPU Communities Corporation, in May 2022.

– KPU Communities Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by KPU.

– KPU Communities Corporation is the sole trustee of the KPU Communities Trust, which was established on June 1, 2022.

– KPU and the KPU Foundation are the beneficiaries of the KPU Communities Trust.

– The KPU Communities Trust holds assets and conducts business, all for the benefit of the beneficiaries, and not for its own benefit.

– KPU caused the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary, KPU Communities Corporation, in May 2022.

– KPU Communities Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by KPU.

– KPU Communities Corporation is the sole trustee of the KPU Communities Trust, which was established on June 1, 2022.

– KPU and the KPU Foundation are the beneficiaries of the KPU Communities Trust.

– The KPU Communities Trust holds assets and conducts business, all for the benefit of the beneficiaries, and not for its own benefit.

Structure

Leadership

We firmly believe that by collaborating with local partners, government bodies, and organizations, we can make a lasting impact on the communities we call home. Through engagement and dialogue, we strive to understand and address the unique needs and aspirations of our neighbours, fostering a sense of ownership, pride, and shared responsibility.