Canada’s Housing Crisis Persists Despite Cap on Study Permits

By Kai September 15, 2024
Alarm 2 Min Read
Copied
Featured

International students are being exploited and remain in cramped conditions, despite the quota imposed and ongoing efforts by various groups to address this issue.

“The decision not to impose new limits on study permits won’t solve the long-term housing shortage,” commented Julia Oravec of the rented residential market data and advisory firm, BONARD.

The website Rentals.ca reported that the average rent at the national level remained steady at $2,187 in August, compared to the previous record high of $2,202 in May. This is attributed to an increase in apartment construction, slower population growth, and a less competitive job market.

For Sadia Anjum Hossain, 25, a student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, these prices are unbearably high. She arrived with her husband in early July, searching for a one-bedroom apartment.

In the end, the couple settled for a two-bedroom apartment, where they each sleep in one of the bedrooms, while two friends have to stay in the living room.

“We consider this apartment temporary, and we’re uncomfortable with sharing common facilities, as it affects our privacy,” she added.

Brampton city councillor Rowena Santos previously noted in an interview that there could be as many as 100,000 unaccounted international students residing in the city.

“There are concerns that some landlords take advantage of these students, who are often in desperate situations,” Hossain said.

Source: THE PIE NEWS

More Articles