CMU wants to ensure that students who live off-campus feel welcome and at home while on campus for classes, studying, and social events.
How to get involved
CMU works to establish a strong sense of community for the commuter students and encourages students to make a conscious effort to be involved right from the start of the year. Here are some suggestions of how commuter students can develop a sense of belonging in the CMU community:
- Attend as many Orientation events as possible. Check out the Orientation Guide and other details here.
- Attend Community Gatherings (Chapels, Forums, Wednesday Night Worship, and Recitals).
- Check out the wide range of Student Council events that are open to all students to attend.
- Consider joining a club! Go to the Student Hub to see what clubs and associations are available for students to join!
- Plan to spend some leisure and study time on campus in the Library, Marpeck Commons, South Hall, or the Great Hall.
Lounges
CMU has a wide variety of spaces designed for studying and hanging out which commuter students are encouraged to take advantage of.
South Hall
- The Student Centre is equipped with tables for group work, homework, or eating meals together with fellow students.
- The Commuter Lounge has a fridge, two microwaves, and a sink where students are welcome to store and prepare their food. Coffee and tea are available for free.
- The Chapel Lounge is a sunny place with comfy chairs for hanging out with friends between classes and a bar-height counter for studying.
Assiniboine Castle
- The Great Hall, equipped with couches and tables, is a great place for studying and hanging out. In an alcove off the Great Hall is a Kitchenette where students can prepare and store food.
- The Blaurock Café is a student-run business located in the Great Hall that offers coffee and teas.
- There are a plethora of alcove lounges on each of the three floors that are ideal spaces for those looking for a quiet place to study.
Students are responsible to clean up after themselves in these areas. Please be respectful to others and leave a clean space behind you.
Lockers
CMU provides lockers on both sides of campus for commuters to store their belongings. In order to reserve a locker, students must register through the link provided on the bank of lockers and put a lock on that locker. Students must supply their own locks which must be removed at the end of the academic year. Locks left on lockers will be cut and belongings donated to charity. For more information, please see the Director of Student Community Life.
Transportation to CMU
Parking
All commuter students who bring a car onto campus are required to purchase a parking pass. The cost is determined on whether you are enrolled as a full or part-time student. Scramble parking is available for commuters in Lot A during the day, and also in Lot N after 4:30 PM. Find more information and sign up for a parking permit on the Student Hub.
Carpool
We encourage students to consider carpooling as a way to save money, produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and make an even strong commuter-ty! Whether you can drive all the time, are open to sharing the driving, or are looking to find people who regularly drive to campus, sign-up for the the carpool group and learn about how carpooling benefits everyone! Sign ups will begin in September on the Student Hub.
Transit
CMU can easily be accessed by the following bus routes:
- The Frequent Express 3 (FX3) bus comes down Grant Avenue and stops right in front of campus.
- The D19, 70, and 664 all stop within a 20-minute walk from campus.
Students may purchase a post-secondary student peggo pass at the CommonWord Bookstore. A student ID card must be shown in order to purchase student bus passes. Information on bus routes and schedules is available at: winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo.
Active Transportation
There are multiple walking and biking paths that can be used to access CMU. There are bike racks near the main entrances to Assiniboine Castle, South Hall, and Marpeck Commons. If you will be cycling all year, you are welcome to use the bike shed for indoor (unheated) storage during the day. It is free to access but you will need to submit a $20 key deposit. See Student Life for more details.
Off-Campus Housing
CMU is not responsible for finding off-campus housing for students. CMU is located in the south-west quadrant of the city, in the neighbourhood of Tuxedo. When selecting an apartment, you may want to take proximity into consideration. There are a number of online websites you can use to find affordable housing. For rental listings advertised specifically for students check the Student Hub.
Things to Consider When Looking for Housing in Winnipeg
- Bus connections – how much time do you want to spend commuting to school?
- Proximity to CMU, grocery stores, day care, schools
- Make sure that you have a good landlord and know your rights as a tenant. Become familiar with the Manitoba Tenancies Branch website.
- Remember to find out what is included in your rental cost. (ie. utilities, furnishings, damage deposit, etc.)
Neighbourhoods to Consider in Winnipeg
There are lots of housing options in Winnipeg, so the following are just suggestions and not to be limitations for a student looking for housing.
- River Heights, St. James, Tuxedo, Charleswood, and Crescentwood are all located fairly close to the CMU campus with good bus connections, but may be expensive unless you have roommates.
- Wolseley, Sargent Park, and West End neighbourhoods are a little further from campus, but are closer to downtown and have great bus connections to the university. These neighbourhoods typically offer reasonable rent prices.
- Housing near the University of Manitoba, in Transcona, or along Main St. may be less expensive but can cost you a lot of time commuting to CMU.