Expensive, hard-to-find housing troubles university students as school year begins - Action News
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New Brunswick

Expensive, hard-to-find housing troubles university students as school year begins

With the school year right around the bend, the housing crisis is taking a toll on students who are struggling to find affordable options in their cities.

Universit de Moncton student federation says 200 students are without housing for the year

A white sign that says
Lack of availability and expensive rents are causing hardship for some students returning to university in the fall. (David Horemans/CBC)

University of New Brunswick student Pawan Kumar said the search for housing in Fredericton has been"devastating."

He arrivedfrom India 10 days ago to beginamaster's degree in business administration, but so far, he hasn't been able to find anywhere to live.

"I'm staying in a hotel now and it's very costly," said Kumar.

He said the problem seems to be the lack of availability, which is indirectly increasing rent prices.

A man with glasses and a blue plaid shirt wearing a red backpack. He is standing in front of a parking lot and a red brick building.
Pawan Kumar came to Fredericton from India to begin his master's degree in business administration, but so far, he hasnt been able to find anywhere to live. (Hannah Rudderham/CBC)

At the Universit de Moncton, tienne Belanger, the president of the student federation, said there are about200 students who don't have housing yet.

"They either have to stay with a friend or they need to rent some hotel rooms, which is completely unacceptable. Because, you know, we are students."

For the second year in a row, the universityput out a call out to the community to consider renting empty rooms in their homes to students.

Belanger said thatresulted in about50 students finding housing.

He said he's heard from students that the cost of rent near the university isaround $1,500, and the closest affordable options are near the airport, about nine kilometres from the campus.

"If they want something cheap, they need to go far, but most of them don't have a car, don't have transportation because the buses [don't] pass the airport."

Jacques Alalam,who is studying for a master's degree at UNB Fredericton and is from Lebanon,said working 20 hours a week is the only way to cover the cost of rent.

He said he is lucky to have a little bit of financial support from family, but finding an affordable apartment was still difficult.

Alalam was living somewhere else last year, but decided to move because of the cost of his previous place.

He spent three months searching for an apartment, he said, wading through overpriced listings online.

A smiling man seen from the shoulders up
tienne Belanger, the president of the student federation at the Universit de Moncton, said hes heard from students that average apartment prices near the university are around $1,500, and the closest affordable options are near the airport. (Submitted by La Fdration tudiante du Campus universitaire de Moncton)

Eventually, hemet a classmate who directed him to the owner of his current place, where he now rents a room for $500 per month.

"I wish university housing was cheaper. I wish UNB would provide, you know, more affordable options for students,"Alalam said.

In an email, a UNB spokesperson said the university is aware of the "issues around accessible and affordable student housing on and off campus." The statement said UNB is securing additional housing for students, but the spokesperson did not respond to a follow-up emailing asking how that's being done.

The residences at the university are expected to be full this year, the statement said, and there is a wait list as things can change "based on those who may have secured alternative options."

Just up the hill at St. Thomas University, Ryan Sullivan, the associate vice-president of enrolment management, said there are still a few beds available in residence, so students have been informed that it's still an option if they find themselves in a situation where they need housing.

He said there hasn't been much of a difference in the number of students choosing residence compared to previous years, but he thinks that could be because housing challenges in Fredericton are "well-publicized," and students were making housing arrangements before leaving for the summer.

A smiling man in a blue dress shirt and blue blazer standing in front of a brick ledge with a building in the background
Ryan Sullivan, St. Thomas University's associate vice-president of enrolment management, said there are still a few beds available in residence, so students have been informed that an option. (St. Thomas University)

For international students especially, Sullivan said the university promotes the residence option a lot so studentsdon't have to worry about buying furniture or paying additional utility bills while they transition to a new country.

The STU website says residence fees are between $5,002and $10,302, in addition to a damage deposit and the cost of meal plans.

Belanger said financial burdens pile up for students, especially those coming from another country because of the added expense of travel and tuition.

"[It's] a lot of little things like that and the cost of living just in New Brunswick in general. So it's little things like that that pile up."

Belanger said he wants to see the government working with the university to build new residences on campus as a long-term goal, and in the short-term, providing financial support to students.

Last week, the province announced $7.6 million would be put towardincreasing the maxim weekly amounts for student loans and bursaries. But this isn't the type of support that Belanger is talking about.

"It's like 'OK, I have my bachelor, but now I'm owing the government like thousands and thousands of dollars. So, sure, it helped me get there but at the end, it's just my life is messed up because I need to give them so much money,'" said Belanger.

"What we want actually is the government and the university to make concrete action for the students."