Some students in Waterloo struggling to find off-campus housing

Increasing costs, and a lack of supply have made finding suitable housing for students a challenge in Waterloo this school year. 

As some students struggle to find accommodations, Glen Weppler director of housing at the University of Waterloo, said it might be because of the pandemic. 

“The property managers and business owners of these rental properties that had been targeting students to live in, because there wasn't as many students around, in some cases they had to change their business model,” Weppler said. “They needed to find a new type of tenant, so they've done that. In a rental housing market, those tenants have a right to stay there, that can lead to less supply for students.”

The university is doing research into the changes to the market, but figuring out the exact reasons for the lack of supply could take a number of months.

85 per cent of students at the University of Waterloo live off campus. During the past 20 years, on-campus housing has almost exclusively been used for first year students.

“Enrolment at the institution does grow, typically over time,” Weppler said. “There will be a small increase every year, and when you compound that over time, enrolment continues to grow.” 

Weppler added that the university is doing what it can to help students who are struggling, but ultimately it is up to students to find off-campus housing. 

“We have been trying to adapt some of our communications, so that we can get the right information to the right students, at the right times,” he said. “That could be in finding accommodations, or it could be once you're in the situation where you're renting, and you encounter problems.”

Students can reach out to campus housing for support, but Weppler mentioned a number of other places they can go to for help with whatever housing challenges they may be facing.

That includes the student union, academic advisors, and financial, legal, and mental health support.