This report draws from a two-year case study examining housing experiences of international student families living off-campus in Waterloo Region, complemented with policy research and interviews with experts to understand the policy context, revealing the absence of international student families in housing policy debates.
We found that international students are among the most vulnerable, not a culprit in the housing crisis. Families we spoke with report facing multidimensional challenges navigating local housing markets due to the lack of knowledge, support, and the high need for quality housing. Their invisibility worsens vulnerabilities in the housing market, which hinders the stability and security needed to make a home in Canada. University towns are often ill-prepared for housing international students who bring their families. Although policies that focus on the “supply” side of the market might help increase affordability in the long run, international students and families require various supports from higher education institutions, government, and changes in the current policy landscape to target their unseen settlement needs in the short and medium term.