I live less than an hour from BC/less than 1/2 an hour from BC (depends on traffic!). I think @bluebayou’s descriptions are more typical than what is described by @jpm50. Sure, it can be cheaper if you cram 10 into a space made for 5. So many kids live in the dining room. (And there is no doubt that this is kind of a fun lifestyle for some kids! I’m not putting it down here, just trying to describe what I hear about. Dining room dwellers aren’t necessarily unhappy.)
Take a look at the ads that are out there.
The point is, 4 years of guaranteed housing is a definite plus–because then you have the choice to be on or off. It’s a plus.