Yesterday evening, students living in University of Waterloo Place (UWP) received an email notifying them that the two boilers that supply heat to the building have malfunctioned and will not be able to be restored for a minimum of 72 hours “due to the complexity and size of the infrastructure issue.” 

As a result of this, it was anticipated that the temperature of the building would drop below the legally required limit of 20 degrees Celsius and students were further informed that they would not be able to stay overnight at UWP. Those able to stay with family and friends were encouraged to do so while temporary shelter was arranged for others at Claudette Millar Hall, Wilfred Laurier University, and nearby hotels. No food, apart from a water bottle and granola bar, was able to be provided yesterday evening to students. Showers, washrooms, and towels were available for use at Columbia Icefield, where shuttle buses brought students to be relocated elsewhere.

Many students on the r/uwaterloo subreddit expressed surprise and disbelief at the situation. “It’s just a little cold what’s the big deal,” says u/JorgenJorgenson. “For at least 2 nights too?? I literally just had my window open because my room was too warm,” says u/UnseenDegree. Many others took to Instagram as well to lament their newfound homelessness, sharing pictures of the email along with thermometers in their rooms showing the temperature to be 12 degrees Celsius.

However, one post showcased a spacious hotel room that one student was relocated to with the caption: “They can take their time with fixing that boiler.” Imprint has reached out to this student for further comment on their accommodations, their thoughts on the measures taken to relocate students, and their thoughts on what this malfunction might suggest about the state of residences in Waterloo.

When Imprint reached out to Glen Weppler, the Director of Student Housing, for comment, a UW spokesperson had issued the following statement: “We are working urgently to make repairs but we do not know how long it will take to bring all areas of UWP back to a comfortable temperature. Our housing teams are helping students who don’t have friends and family nearby to find alternative sleeping arrangements. UW Place buildings remain accessible to residents during this time.”

On Jan. 15, students further received an email stating that $100 would be added to their meal plan as recompense for the inconvenience.