Student homelessness at BC universities "heartbreaking to see"
A student union president at one of Metro Vancouver’s largest universities says housing and food insecurities are pushing students into homelessness, with some overnighting in campus buildings because they can’t pay rent.
Emmanuel Adegboyega, president of Simon Fraser Student Society, tells Daily Hive he sees students sleeping in campus common areas during his late nights at work.
“You can tell because they have luggage with them. And they’re moving around couches in [campus] buildings in order to spend the night,” he told Daily Hive. “You notice it’s the same sets of people or same person over and over again. You know clearly that this is a housing crisis situation.”
He deals with the lack of affordable housing as an advocate for students, adding that student unions across the country are looking for solutions.
Adegboyega said international and out-of-province students often face additional barriers to finding affordable housing. They may not have friends or family to rely on when finances get tough. International students also face additional hurdles to finding a place to rent. They may not be able to provide a credit score or Canadian references for housing or work.
“The housing market off-campus is just ridiculous,” Adegboyega said. “We know students are experiencing the consequences. So what we see students turn to is homelessness — it’s a rising concern.”
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International student Suson Athmanathan chose to live out of his car rather than rent an apartment to attend his classes at Vancouver Community College this year. The sacrifice isn’t for everyone, but for him, it made sense.
“I cannot have both,” he told Daily Hive earlier this month. “I cannot rent a place for $700 to $800 and own a car for $600 bi-monthly. So I have to choose. And I chose a car because I can make money from the car. And at the end of the day, I own it.”
Athmanathan credits his adventurous personality with enabling him to live out of the car year-round. He hopes that his shifts as a food delivery courier, in addition to his classes, eventually put him ahead.
“I saw an opportunity,” he said. “Because I can own a car after six or seven years. But if I’m staying in a place, it’s comfortable, obviously, but I’m not making any asset.”
Students advocating for housing solutions
Adegboyega’s student union is pushing the university and all levels of government to provide affordable housing options for students. One avenue is increasing on-campus student housing operated by universities. His union recently won a victory with a new 445-bed residence with 160 childcare spots getting approved.
But more beds aren’t the only issue. On-campus housing needs to be affordable, Adegboyega said.
“It’s a problem if, yes, you have beds on campus, but your cost is almost equivalent to what students pay off-campus.”
Data from rental listing platform Zumper suggests the average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Burnaby is just over $3,000 right now — or about $1,500 split between two roommates.
Simon Fraser University’s website indicates that housing prices for the next academic year are still being determined. Price information from 2023 indicated the cheapest residence room started at just under $850 per month, not including a meal plan. Students must also pay an application fee to access on-campus housing.
Adegboyega wants students to have safe places to sleep at night and not have to turn to sleeping in academic buildings.
“It’s heartbreaking to see,” he said. “It’s a real problem that needs to be dealt with.”