Student housing options limited, too expensive: local report
Posted Sep 13, 2023 06:29:09 AM.
Last Updated Sep 13, 2023 11:29:05 AM.
As post-secondary students settle back into the community, an important update on student housing statistics came before Waterloo City Council this week.
Results from a survey filled out by just over 4,200 students, show the average student rent is now ringing in a just over $950 per month.
Nearly 50 percent of respondents note they are unable to afford basic necessities such as food, phone bills, utilities because of high housing costs.
Senior Policy Planner for the City, Tanja Curic presented the report to council, on behalf of the Town and Gown committee.
“Students increasingly have found it difficult to secure accommodations, their living expenses are more than they expected, average rent has almost doubled from what it was in the 2017 report.”
Breakdown of student housing costs.
One note brought up by Ward 6 Councillor Mary Lou Roe, was a lack of information regarding international students, which the committee will now take a deeper dive into.
“From my experience and what I’ve heard from international students, is they’re very much less likely to come forward to share their experiences, which may then impact the response as well.”
Ward 7 Councillor Julie Wright also suggested organizing a central hub for student housing information, to help students more easily access the options and resources available.
The Town and Gown committee is made up of numerous community partners, including universities, college, students, city, and police.
They note their main focus is to get these numbers out to as many people as they can to help raise awareness on the state of student housing.
The full report can be heard here.
