As the City of Ottawa grapples with a housing crisis, it is often forgotten that students and youth are highly susceptible to becoming homeless as well.
That is not to say that many students are homeless, but housing costs on and off-campus are so high, that it may lead to them experiencing homelessness in the future.
According to the Carleton University website, a traditional residence room costs approximately $11,000, while living off-campus costs about $8,000.
While students may manage to cover those costs through student loans and part-time jobs, it still leaves them with huge debt. Then, as they try to pay off the loans they used to pay for their rent or residence plans, it leaves them with little money to cover housing costs after graduation.
Carleton University should provide its students with more affordable on-campus housing to reduce this risk. The university should also shed light on more student resources that can help them find affordable housing off-campus as well.
Students are in need of affordable housing just as much as they are in need of financial literacy that teaches them how to save money in order to afford these high rental costs.
