OTTAWA — A new Statistics Canada report finds international students were more likely to live in unsuitable housing in 2021 than Canadian-born students.
The study, which was based on the most recent census data, says Indian students were more likely to live in unsuitable housing than students from other countries.
In Brampton, Ont. and Surrey, B.C., the municipalities with the largest proportions of Indian students, more than 60 per cent of international students were living in unsuitable housing.
One of the requirements for suitable housing is that adults should have their own bedroom, if they are not part of a couple.
A sharp rise in international students in Canada has raised concerns about the added pressure placed on the housing market, as well as the affordability challenges students face themselves.
In 2023, there were more than one million international students in Canada, a 29 per cent increase from the previous year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2024.
The Canadian Press
