The exterior of the Students' Union Building showcasing the wall art.

This is your Students’ Union Building

The history of the building run by students for students.

History and Renos of SUB

SUB first opened its doors in 1967, and the Students' Union celebrated the building's 50th birthday on September 8, 2017.

The building was designed from the start around some core principles. These are well summed up by the requirement that "most importantly, this building must both serve as a social centre for the whole university and as a constant symbol of the value of free, autonomous student government.”

  • SUB was featured in Time magazine as the largest and most complete student space in Canada.
  • The design, construction and financing of SUB were arranged entirely by the students' own enterprise.
  • The cast-iron mural on the south side of the building was created by the late Jordi Bonet, an award-winning Montreal artist.
  • The large fire pit inspired the design of the UASU's unique flame logo, created by VCD student Jonathan Wood.
  • The Lower Level was once home to eight bowling lanes and six sheets of curling ice.

Over its 50+ year history, SUB has always evolved to meet student needs, with expansions, renovations and ongoing upgrades.

History of Student Buildings

As student needs grow and change, so too has the Students' Union Building and our various building projects.

  1. 1927
  2. 1950
  3. 1965
  4. 1967
  5. 1971
  6. 1993
  7. 1996
  8. 2003
  9. 2011
  10. 2015
  11. 2024

  1. 1927

    The Covered Rink was student-funded and student-operated. It stood until 1960 and is now the north lawn of ECHA.
    Photo credit: UASU Evergreen and Gold, 1927/28.

  2. 1950

    The first Students' Union Building opened; it is now University Hall.
    Photo credit: UASU Evergreen and Gold, 1956/57

  3. 1965

    Ground breaking – Sod-turning ceremonies for the largest Students' Union Building in it's time were held in December 1965. The planned $6 million building was scheduled to open in summer 1967.

  4. 1967

    Grand Opening – The Students' Union Building (SUB) was officially opened, serving as a hub for student activities, services, and socialization on campus.
    UASU Evergreen and Gold, 1968/69

  5. 1971

    With a horse-drawn plow, the UASU broke ground on the Housing Union Building (HUB), as a response to the lack of affordable student housing. The UASU transitioned HUB to the University in 1976. Photo credit: Folio, March 1972.

  6. 1993

    New Food Court – Existing student relaxation and study space was renovated and expanded, and a new food court was created to meet the need for a greater variety of food options. Because of the new commercial spaces created by the renovation, the construction was self-funded, and the construction costs were recouped in less than 10 years.

  7. 1996

    Dean of Students – Increasing demands on student services such as the health centre, career services, and student aid, coupled with a desire to create one-stop access to those services, led the University and the Students’ Union to work together to bring all Dean of Students and Students’ Union services under one roof. The renovation succeeded in enhancing access for students and improving the ability of those services to work together to provide an integrated approach to meeting students' needs.

  8. 2003

    Second Floor Expansion – As SUB’s popularity grew along with the University’s enrollment, the need for more social, study, and service space became acute. To address these needs, in 2003 the Students’ Union and the University co-funded a major expansion to SUB, enclosing the building’s courtyard. This created new service space on the second floor, and the now-iconic SUBstage area on the main floor. SUB truly became the ‘living room’ of campus, the place where people came together to meet, work, and play.

  9. 2011

    BOMA BESt Level 2 Certification – The building was certified by the Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada, and awarded a BOMA BESt Level 2 Certification. BOMA BESt is the Canadian industry standard for commercial building sustainability: the award is a remarkable achievement for an older building like SUB.

  10. 2015

    Atrium and Patio Renovations – One of the most remarkable renovations to SUB was completed in 2015. It added the spectacular two-storey glass Atrium, opened up the Lower Level, and created the outdoor patio. The Atrium is now one of campus’s signature student spaces, an oasis of light and warmth even on the coldest winter days.

  11. 2024

    Myer Horowitz Theatre Renovation – The Myer Horowitz Theatre has undergone a major renewal and expansion for the last couple of years. The Students’ Union envisions rebuilding the Theatre’s historical role as a key point of connection between campus, alumni, and the larger community. The goal of this project is to restore and expand the Theatre’s ability to meet this vision, by bringing the design, technical, sustainability and accessibility elements up-to-date and judiciously expanding the flexibility and size of the pre-performance spaces to allow for a wider range of activities and programming.