Sharing bedrooms, infestations, scams: What some international students have to endure to find housing

Conestoga College student Bd Srinivasan is enduring a lot to stay in Canada and study.

Currently, the finance student from India pays $550 a month to live in a house with 13 other students. She's in the basement with six people and sharing a bedroom with two of them.

A few weeks ago, Srinivasan noticed water was leaking through the ceiling from the washroom above.

"Can you believe it? Now, we're down to two washrooms in the whole house," she told CBC News.

"How are we supposed to manage?" 

And that's not all. 

"See all this?" Srinivasan says, pointing to the dark spots on her arm. "It's insect bites."

She called the landlord for help and "he said just put vinegar and lemon on the insects and they'll be gone," she said, adding she waiting for treatment at the hospital for more than three hours and is on a medication to help with the irritation. 

Srinivasan's situation is not unique. Other university and college students are finding themselves in less-than-ideal housing as they struggle to find anywhere to live while attending school.

A report went before city council in Waterloo earlier this month that indicated the region was lacking around 5,000 beds for students.

Add to that the cost of being an international student. According to Statistics Canada, the average tuition cost for an undergrad is around $7,000, but for an international student in a similar program it's $38,000.

In 2022, the federal government's figures showed more than 800,000 foreign students in Canada. That number is expected to rise to 900,000 this year.

Dr. Mike Moffatt, an assistant professor at Western University's Ivey Business School in London, Ont., says many students come to Canada with high hopes that can quickly change.

"They come here to get an education, contribute to Canada but they're often unaware or not made aware of how difficult Ontario's housing situation really is," Moffatt said.