OTTAWA -- NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced a plan to address student housing shortages on Thursday.
The party is calling on the federal government to allocate student permits to post-secondary institutions that demonstrate they have a credible and affordable housing plan.
The proposal comes as the number of international students enrolled in Canada skyrockets, putting more pressure on housing shortages.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press that the federal government is reconsidering international student flows, particularly since some students have been victims of fraud.
"Landlords are asking for a whole year's worth of rent as a deposit," Singh said.
"What student can come up with that type of liquidity? It's impossible."
Singh is also calling on the federal government to establish a funding model to get more student housing built, which would see the federal government, provinces and territories and post-secondary institutions contributing money in equal parts.
He said Ottawa should incentivize partnerships to help convert empty office spaces for residential use, including for dormitory-style student housing.
"We have to tackle this problem," he said.
Singh highlighted a Toronto project that was a collaboration between a not-for-profit organization and businesses, which he said will house more than 500 students with "deeply affordable rents."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2023.
