UBC student commutes from Calgary — cheaper than paying Vancouver rent

Vancouver’s sky-high rental prices have forced many residents to find creative ways to be able to afford to live in the city. Turning to creativity is exactly what Tim Chen did to avoid paying rent in Vancouver.

Vancouver’s sky-high rental prices have forced many residents to find creative ways to be able to afford to live in the city.

Turning to creativity is exactly what Tim Chen did to avoid paying rent in Vancouver.

For Chen, commuting to class looks very different, as a final year arts student at the University of British Columbia.

"I thought, why don't I just stay at Calgary and then just fly here, it’s like a one-hour flight, that’s like the same as taking a bus,” he said.

Chen is originally from Calgary. He had previously been living in Vancouver while studying at UBC, but gave up his rental unit while he went on vacation during the fall.

When he returned, he was met with sticker shock.

"When I checked the house price I thought, oh shoot, there was a big increase!" he said. “I need to pay like $2,500 for the rent, so I don't feel like it's viable."