Off-Campus Living

Students walking near park

As the largest urban area on Cape Breton and the island’s historical capital, Sydney is the perfect mix of metropolitan charm and down home hospitality. As with many Nova Scotian communities on the ocean, the heart of Sydney is its waterfront. On a warm, summer evening it’s a great place to go for a walk, stop to watch a busker and to watch ships in the harbour. Along the way, be sure to get your photo taken beside the world’s largest fiddle, built in recognition of Cape Breton’s musical talent.

Secure housing plays a vital role in your student experience. It is very important that students do not travel to Canada before securing proper accommodations. Like most of Canada, affordable housing is a serious issue in Cape Breton. Housing in the area is limited and students should begin their search early.  We continue to advocate for affordable housing solutions, including pushing for Federal support of the proposed Tartan Downs Project, which would see various housing options built within the CBRM.

Students should budget $1000 per month for housing and associated costs.

Below, find a searchable database for students looking for off-campus accommodations as well FAQs about off-campus accommodations.

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4-Bedroom House, 361 Columbia Street, Sydney $2500

361 Columbia Street, Sydney

4-bedroom house available to rent to a family. Landlord is renting the house as a whole, not by the bedroom.…

4 bedrooms
  • Category: House
  • Status: Available
  • Feature: 4 Bedrooms
  • Rent Period: Monthly
View Listing

2 Bedrooms in House, 244 Seaview Drive, North Sydney $450

244 Seaview Drive, North Sydney

2 bedrooms available to rent immediately in the landlords house. 1 bedroom can accommodate 2 students, and the other bedroom…

2 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedrooms
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1 Bedroom with Private Kitchenette, Sydney $700

Sydney

This is a fully furnished bedroom available to rent to 1 female tenant, beginning September 1st, 2024. This home is…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Heat
View Listing

1 Bedroom in House, 268 Douglas Avenue, Glace Bay $675

268 Douglas Avenue, Glace Bay

1 bedroom available to rent immediately to a mature, female tenant. This bedroom is located in the landlords home and…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Lease
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1 Shared Bedroom in House, 3 Charlotte Street, Sydney Please Call

3 Charlotte Street, Sydney

There is 1 fully furnished shared bedroom, available to rent immediately to 2 female tenants. All utilities will be included…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Lease
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1 Bedroom in House, 183 Cartier Street, Sydney $1000

183 Cartier Street, Sydney

1 fully furnished bedroom with large screen TV and another private room that can be used as a study room.…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

4 Bedrooms in House, 65 Rear Main Street, Reserve Mines $650

65 Rear Main Street, Reserve Mines

This house has 4 bedrooms available to rent. Tenants will have all utilities included, with access to WIFI and parking.…

4 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedrooms
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

4 Bedrooms in House, Sydney $650

Sydney

4 fully furnished bedrooms located in the landlords home, available to rent immediately. Tenants will have all utilities included in…

4 bedrooms
1 bathrooms
  • Category: Bedrooms
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: 4 Bedrooms
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1 Bedroom in House, Main Street, Sydney $700

Main Street, Sydney

1 single bedroom available to rent in the landlords home. This is a quiet home and landlord is seeking a…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1-Bedroom Apt, Howie Centre $1000

Howie Centre

Landlord is seeking 1 responsible and mature female tenant to occupy this 1-bedroom bachelor apartment, located in her home. All…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Apartment
  • Status: Available
  • Feature: Bus Route
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

3 Bedrooms in House, 3636 Ellsworth Avenue, New Waterford Please Call

3636 Ellsworth Avenue, New Waterford

🌟 Private Bedrooms: Blue Room: Available beginning September 8th. Features a twin bed, spacious and furnished, including a comfortable desk and…

3 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedrooms
  • Status: Available
  • Type: House
  • Feature: 3 Bedrooms
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Electricity
View Listing

1 Bedroom in 2-Bedroom Apt, Kenwood Drive, Sydney $625

Kenwood Drive, Sydney

1 bedroom available to rent in a 2-bedroom apartment. There is 1 room available for a mature female student beginning…

1 bedrooms
  • Category: Bedroom
  • Status: Available September
  • Type: Apartment
  • Feature: Fully Furnished
  • Rent Period: Monthly
  • Amenity: Hot Water
View Listing

Off-Campus Accommodations FAQs

The Off-Campus Housing Coordinator works to connect students to landlords and vice-versa via the Off-Campus Accommodation Listing which is a free resource for the community. The coordinator ensures a smooth operation of this free resource that can be used by newcomers as well as property owners/managers in the community.

Students are most welcome to reach out to the coordinator but depending on the email traffic, you may or may not hear back in time and rental listings can get sold out quickly. Hence, students are encouraged to follow the contact instructions on the listing to secure it.

Students are encouraged to reach out to the listing’s point of contact directly and be mindful that the property owners/managers do not work for CBU and will answer on their own accord.

Rental/Property listings take place approximately 2 months prior to an intake. If you start searching too early or too late in relation to your intake, you may not find the right option for you. Starting your search early is definitely the key and we encourage future students to use this resource as early in their journey as possible.

 The prices displayed on listings can vary since some of them are room leases, some apartments and some are for houses. The pricing may seem high because it is for a whole house that can be leased.

Listings posted on third-party platforms and social media websites can be fake/scams and it is very important to be mindful of the same. The Off-Campus living page is maintained and updated by the Off-Campus housing coordinator and not through user-generated content.

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