Opinion: Canada needs creative solutions to solve international student housing crisis
Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Cyndi McLeod, Chief Executive Officer, Global University Systems Canada. GUS is composed of 30 post-secondary institutions around the world, including University Canada West in Vancouver, BC.
Housing affordability is in crisis in Canada. Post-secondary students in public and private institutions know this; they’re feeling the pinch as they head back to school and struggle to find a safe place they can afford.
Universities and colleges know there is political pressure on all levels of government to make progress fast on this hot-button issue. But the challenge is too big and too complex for any level of government to solve it alone or to solve it through one policy solution. Â
Recognizing that when federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser recently suggested a possible limit on international student visas to relieve pressure on the housing system, it was just one policy approach Ottawa could pursue. The government acknowledges others, such as regulatory steps to speed construction permits and tax incentives to spur rental stock. Governments need to work together to identify the broadest range of possible solutions.
It’s important to keep in mind, though, the vital role that these 900,000 international students play in boosting our economy. They contribute almost as much to GDP as tourism and manufacturing. According to Global Affairs Canada, international students add nearly $22 billion to the economy and support 170,000 jobs.
These students come to Canada to learn but many choose to build their lives and careers here after they graduate. A cap on international student visas would mean that many get turned away and that’s a loss for Canada. They’ll just go elsewhere at a time when Canada is competing for global talent. Canada has worked hard to build a reputation as a quality destination for quality education. A shortsighted policy initiative now will do damage for years. It would be no small feat to reverse what’s been done. Word travels fast, reputations heal slowly.
At GUS Canada – and together with our network of universities and colleges including University Canada West and University of Niagara Falls Canada – we are ready to work with governments at all levels to develop creative solutions to the housing crisis. We look forward to collaboration. We are ready with the ideas, and solutions, to provide both a great place to learn and a safe place to live for our students.
When Canada invests in student housing, it has a ripple effect in terms of construction, employment, community vitality and economic growth. We’re not just putting a roof over students’ heads, after all; we’re building the foundation of the country’s economic future.
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