Communities across Ontario are experiencing increased demand for all types of housing, including housing for post-secondary students. Students occupy rental units that could go to residents if dedicated housing for the students themselves, appropriate to their needs, were available. However, post-secondary institutions do not receive funding from government for housing development, maintenance, or upkeep, and under the dual financial pressures of tuition freezes and international student caps, do not have funding to make the appropriate investments in housing themselves.

Students unable to secure a place in residence must go to the local rental market instead, creating pressure on that market. This drives up inflation and wages, affecting the local economy and general prosperity. Specialized housing for students relieves this pressure on the rest of the rental market.

The rental vacancy rate in Niagara is 2.7%. In the last ten years, overall rates have fallen as low as 1.4%. A vacancy rate of 5-10% is considered optimal, 3% is considered the minimum for a healthy rental market, and 1-2% is a crisis. Added to this pressure are students from Brock and Niagara College, who must often rent off-campus.

In 2023, there were over 62,000 residence spaces at Ontario universities, and 19,000 residence spaces at Ontario colleges. In 2022, there were 478,000 university students in Ontario, and 222,000 college students.

The GNCC advocates for amendments to the Municipal Act to support post-secondary housing development, and dedicated capital funding for post-secondary institutions for on- and off-campus residences. We also recommend the amendment of Section 28 of the Financial Administration Act to create fast-tracked, guaranteed-approval timeline for post-secondary housing development. We urge municipalities to create appropriate zoning plans for transit-oriented development that supports increased density on post-secondary campuses.

2024-ongoing