School is just around the corner for Dalhousie University students in Halifax. But while schedules, due dates and deadlines have already been established, some are still working on securing a place to live. “I actually just got a place today,” said first-year student Pedram Dehyaei on Wednesday. For him, the trouble wasn’t just finding a place but snagging something affordable. “I would say I’m a bit surprised, because the price is very similar to the city I come from, Toronto. I thought that it would be a bit cheaper,” he says. Second-year student Amin Khan says it’s a struggle many students are facing. “Students are having a harder time finding a new place. Especially coming from Toronto, I expected the rents to be way lower, but it was basically the same, and most units were already full,” says Khan. Orpy Dey, Dalhousie University’s student union external and academic vice-president, says the problem has only gotten worse, despite Halifax’s improving vacancy rates. “Students cannot afford those apartments. Why? Because it’s expensive,” says Dey. “They have to cut down money on other expenses like medication, food and tuition and other all necessary expenses that they can spend money on. Which is why students are facing a food crisis right now.” She says the financial stress is compounding other stresses students are facing. “There is academic stress, family stress and other emergency situations. They have to find jobs, they have their co-op expenses. All these things are adding up to students, and I feel like these are leading them to depression,” she says. Just steps away, on the Saint Mary’s University campus, lies a similar story. “What we hear usually from students is either they’re going through a crisis where they are in an extreme situation where they can’t find housing at all, or it’s usually the affordability,” said Liza Zahid, Saint Mary’s University Student Association’s president. “Right now, tuition has been the highest for domestic students. It is the highest for Nova Scotia. Also, the youth unemployment has been the lowest that we’ve seen in a bit.” Both Dey and Zahid hope governments step in, knowing student unions can only offer so much support. “Two months ago, a student came up to me and told me that they are facing homelessness, and they had to spend two nights in our union building. Then I had to connect with university administration to get them free residence halls for a couple of days until they find another place to go. So, we are advocating as best as we can, but this has to be solved from the root,” says Dey. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
