By expanding and improving provincial transit, Ontario could help students access affordable housing beyond campus limits and commute from home more easily
As Ontario’s housing crisis worsens, McMaster students are feeling the effects of skyrocketing rents and a lack of on-campus housing. Though it won't solve the housing crisis, reliable and fast public transit could mitigate the increasing demand for student housing by making commuting more feasible.
Transportation isn’t always considered when discussing solutions to the housing crisis, but it could play plays a crucial role for students. The ability to live in more affordable areas away from campus or with their parents depends on easy access to public both fast and reliable transit.
By improving and expanding services like GO Transit along with municipal transit such as the Hamilton Street Railway, Ontario could open up more affordable housing opportunities for students without forcing them to sacrifice convenience or accessibility. With better transit making longer commutes more feasible, students wouldn’t be as limited to a shrinking pool of expensive rentals near campus.
Currently, many McMaster students face a tough choice: either struggle with high rents on or near campus or commute long distances to find affordable housing. With transit that pails in comparison to that of many other countries in terms of both reliability and travel time, students either have to bite the bullet of paying high rent or make long and tiring commutes every day.
The lack of affordable housing close to McMaster is part of a larger trend. A report from the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations found that nearly half of all Canadian students struggle to find affordable housing. For McMaster students, this statistic is all too real.
Other cities have already begun to recognize the link between transportation and empowering housing. According to the University of British Columbia Alma Mater Society, in 2023, 33% of UBC students had commutes exceeding one hour.
The SkyTrain extension project to the University of British Columbia, currently under construction, aims to make getting to the university from far out in the city easier and faster. By linking the university directly to Vancouver’s rapid transit network, the extension could make more distant commutes easier and more feasible, increasing the options of where students can live and making commuting less difficult.
The benefits of expanding public transit go beyond just providing students with more affordable living options. Investing in transit infrastructure strengthens communities, fosters economic growth, and reduces traffic congestion.
For Hamilton, a more connected transit system would improve the quality of life for all residents, not just students. As Ontario plans for the future of its transit networks, the needs of students must be a part of the conversation.
Of course improving transit will not itself solve the housing crisis. At the end of the day, solving the housing crisis requires building more affordable housing. But as construction takes time, making commuting a more feasible and easy option for a great number of students now could reduce the student demand on the local housing market in the short term.
McMaster's downtown Hamilton 10 Bay Residence has opened to undergraduate students, despite being originally intended for graduate students
McMaster's new 30-storey downtown residence building on 10 Bay Street, known for its modern design and student-focused amenities, was initially intended as a residence for graduate students only. Beginning this year, it is now open to undergraduate students.
In an email statement to the Silhouette, Jason Bianchi, the residence manager of 10 Bay Street, stated that the decision was made in an effort to provide more housing options in an increasingly insecure student housing market. "Our goal is to provide more safe and supportive housing options for all students," stated Bianchi.
Our goal is to provide more safe and supportive housing options for all students.
Jason Bianchi, Residence Manager
10 Bay Street
Since opening in September 2023, the residence has had low occupancy rates. According to The Hamilton Spectator, 10 Bay Street had difficulty filling its rooms earlier this year due to issues regarding water quality, privacy and maintenance. High rent prices were also seen as unsustainable for many students, raising concerns about the residence's long-term viability.
McMaster made efforts to address each issue, and the residence was completed in the spring of 2024.
As McMaster's enrollment continues to grow, so does the need for more student housing. Whether 10 Bay's opening to undergraduates will resolve its vacancy issue remains to be seen, but Bianchi did state that an unspecified number of undergraduates have already moved in. "We now have a number of undergraduates living at 10 Bay, and we hope more will consider it as time goes on," stated Bianchi.
Bianchi expressed optimism about the residence's ability to build a strong sense of community. In addition to academic study spaces, a fitness centre and lounges, 10 Bay has introduced a variety of social programs to engage students. The residence also has a shuttle service running Monday to Thursday, providing direct transportation from 10 Bay to campus.
Bianchi also stated that integrating graduate and undergraduate students has yet to present any significant challenges. The residence has hosted community meetings specifically for first-year students and plans to organize programming tailored to both groups' unique social and academic needs. "We've had excellent turnout at our events, with participation from both groups," stated Bianchi.
The mixed-residency model has also fostered mentorship opportunities, with graduate students offering guidance to undergraduates. "Graduate students provide a great source of mentorship and support for our undergraduate students. Our 10 Bay community is diverse, inclusive and collaborative and we hope to build more supports and run more events to continue to ensure our community thrives here," stated Bianchi.
Our 10 Bay community is diverse, inclusive and collaborative and we hope to build more supports and run more events to continue to ensure our community thrives here.
Jason Bianchi, Residence Manager
10 Bay Street
With the future opening of Lincoln Alexander Hall residence right beside campus in 2026, Bianchi acknowledged that demand for 10 Bay may shift. However, Bianchi maintained that it will help to provide additional housing options in the present.
"At a time when finding safe, affordable housing is becoming harder, we're happy to provide a home for more students in our community," Bianchi stated.
While 10 Bay has taken steps to address last year’s issues, it remains to be seen if these steps along with opening to undergraduates will fully resolve its occupancy challenges.
Amid Canada's housing crisis, the cap on international students will fail to address it and only comes at the cost of their education and futures
News flash: Canada is suffering from a housing crisis! What a surprise.
The lack of housing, and affordable housing at that, has been a chronic issue affecting off-campus students. In recent years, renting costs have dramatically increased..
Partly in response to the lack of affordable housing, the Canadian government implemented a two-year cap on the number of international students to be admitted into the country. They also implemented rules limiting these students from receiving work permits and buying homes in Canada.
Partly in response to the lack of affordable housing, the Canadian government implemented a two-year cap on the number of international students to be admitted into the country
According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the temporary cap would help to regulate the number of students in the country and reduce demand on the housing market.
Specifically, it limits the enrollment of international students to approximately 360,000 individuals, a 35% decrease from last year's statistics.
Each province or territory is receiving a cap that is proportional to their population. Each province and territory will receive a specified cap based on its population size and provinces are able to decide how they want to allocate their cap across their universities.
For example, Ontario is estimated to have a cap of 236,373 international students for this academic year, while Alberta will have a cap of 71,149 international students. Although these may seem like drastic differences, the amount of international students Ontario plans to admit is down 133,404 from last year while Alberta could experience an increase of 36,243 international students.
The international student cap will not solve the housing crisis because they are by no means the cause. More significantly, the cap will perpetuate unfair blame targeted towards these students, unrightfully holding them partly responsible for the state of the Canadian economy.
The idea that international students are a big contributor to the housing crisis is incorrect. Considering the deep and interconnected economic issues that have produced the current housing crisis, it should not be expected that cap will have any meaningful positive effect on the issue.
Unaffordable housing and rent costs, increasing inflation, the cost of building materials and difficulties within the labour market are some of the major contributors to the housing crisis. The slight contribution to our population that international students make is not the problem we face.
Considering the deep and interconnected economic issues that have produced the current housing crisis, it should not be expected that cap will have any meaningful positive effect on the issue . . . The slight contribution to our population that international students make is not the problem we face.
The government can take much more meaningful and needed action to combat the housing crisis, as well as the other crises we are facing that all contribute to the overall cost of living crisis.
Expanding initiatives and grants to build affordable social housing and implementing vacancy taxes on landlords who own vacant properties are just two examples of action the government could take to address the housing crisis at its roots. Creating programs that ensure grocery prices stay low and incentivizing businesses to pay a living wage are all steps that could be taken to address the current cost of living crisis.
Expanding initiatives and grants to build affordable social housing and implementing vacancy taxes on landlords who own vacant properties are just two examples of action the government could take to address the housing crisis at its roots.
By enacting the cap on international students, the government wrongly reinforces the idea that international students are the problem. Sadly, this could contribute to fostering contempt for and prejudice towards international students. Many citizens may feel resentment towards these students and create a negative environment for them to live in.
Although Justin Trudeau has stated that international students aren't the problem numerous times, the implementation of the cap contradicts this.
The cap can also prevent family members from being with each other. For example, a current international student may have a sibling who wants to attend university with them. However, because of the restriction, it may now be impossible for that international student to attend university with their sibling abroad. This can contribute to increase the isolation international students feel from being away from family.
Although the government has proposed many benefits to the cap on international students, it not only falsely blames international students for the housing crisis, it will also fail to provide any meaningful relief to the crisis. As such, the move by the federal government is a two-fold blunder that does not effectively serve its own citizens and reinforces a xenophobic narrative. Domestic and international students and Canadian citizens as a whole deserve much better from the government.
Following re-election as MSU president, Jovan Popovic sat down with the Silhouette to discuss the election, plans for his second term and student voter turnout.
Current McMaster Students Union president Jovan Popovic won the 2024 election and will be serving a second term. Popovic’s platform this year touched on several diverse topics, with a focus on addressing some prominent struggles faced by students, including food and housing insecurity.
One highlight of his platform was his proposed soup and bread initiative. With the aim of helping to alleviate student food insecurity, this program would serve complimentary soup and bread on campus. Popovic stated that students will be served four days a week and the initiative will be funded by a five dollar increase of the MSU membership fee.
Popovic added that the soup and bread initiative is a major priority, as rates of food insecurity among students are rapidly rising.
“I’ve had way too many students tell me they’re regularly skipping meals just to save money and that’s completely unacceptable,” said Popvoic.
Another notable point in Popovic's platform was the promised return of an on-campus homecoming in 2024. In a previous interview with the Silhouette during the 2023 presidential race, Popovic noted that McMaster has not hosted an on-campus homecoming event since before the COVID-19 pandemic and he remains committed to bringing this event back for students.
On the housing crisis, Popovic stated that he intends push McMaster to commit to not increase enrollment numbers any further. He cited that presently there is not even enough room for all first-year students to be guaranteed the option to live in residence and as such, increasing enrollment numbers would only add to the issues.
Popovic noted that presently first year students need a high school average of at least 90 per cent to be guaranteed residence.
“I think all first years should be given residence. All of them should have a place to live and this is why putting a cap on enrollment is so important” stated Popovic.
Popovic also stated that he fears the construction of new residences on campus, such as Peter George Centre for Living and Learning and Lincoln Alexander Hall, are being built to plan for increasing enrollment numbers, though these residences will still collectively house a relatively small number students compared to the continuously rising student population.
Another key pillar of Popovic's platform is to help student athletes and sports teams. Popovic aims to allow teams to fundraise by hosting free events at MSU-operated venues. Popovic stated he will dedicate a budget line for sports teams to host fundraising events at venues such as the TwelvEighty Bar and Grill in the McMaster University Student Centre.
Finally, Popovic promised to continue advocating for more liberal guidelines on the use of generative AI in academic work, as compared to the current ones. Popovic also stated in the interview that he advocated and continues to advocate against the use of AI grading and assessment by professor’s and teaching staff.
Following his return to work after a leave of absence during the election, Popovic stated that both the soup and bread program and the return of homecoming will be his top priorities.
Before the election, Popovic stated that he plans to hold a referendum for the increased fee to fund the program to take place next year. Post-election, Popovic believed that holding a referendum this semester to have the program running for next fall is best way forward.
“There is potential to get [the soup and bread program] operational for September, if a referendum is run right now,” stated Popovic.
In contrast, if a referendum was held in the fall, the program likely wouldn't be operational until Fall 2025.
Popovic was also asked during the sit down, if there were any aspects of his opponents platforms that he sees merit in and would consider building into his plans for next year.
In response, Popovic stated that aspects of Luca Bernardini’s proposed MSU app were interesting and held merit. Though, Popovic stated he thought an app would be difficult to build and furthermore difficult to garner traction with the student body.
Popovic highlighted that he thought Bernardini’s idea of having a reward system for students who attend MSU and club events would be an excellent way to increase student engagement on campus. Popovic also stated he thinks students are hesitant to attend events for the first time, but once they do, they come out again more often.
Reflecting on the MSU presidential debate, Popovic noted that it was carried out professionally and respectfully. He stated that himself and his opponents did attack one another, but did so only in ways that pertained to their platform points, without making any personal attacks.
“There were also candidates going at each other, but I think that's positive. It’s called a debate for a reason,” stated Popovic.
However, Popovic noted the turnout to the debate was relatively low and disappointing. He stated that this low turnout may have been due to a problem with the audio system, resulting in only students actively watching the debate being able to hear it in the MUSC atrium.
Overall, Popovic stated he believed he performed well at the debate. He stated that the questions he was asked were valid and that he was not faced with any to which he could not adequately answer.
“I wish I knew each candidate's platform a little bit more in depth. I didn’t know a lot of the specifics of each person’s platform, which meant that I was very focused on myself,” said Popovic.
Popovic stated that in comparison to last year, voter turnout was 16.4 per cent, which is up 56 per cent compared to last year. However, Popovic stated that voter turnout is still very low.
“Years back we would consistently reach about 25 per cent," stated Popovic.
Despite the low turnout, though Popovic reflected positively on the increase in engagement. He stated that last year’s election saw the lowest historical turnout, at just 10.2 per cent. Popovic also stated this increase was more than he had hoped for and that it will take several years to achieve a voter turnout per cent in the high twenties again.
Concluding the interview, Popovic was asked if he would consider running for a third term next year.
Popovic responded that he does not intend to run again next year.
“While I think that continuity is good from time to time. . . I think that having an element of change is a really positive thing for the organization. Ultimately, we’ll see what I’m able to do in the year ahead," stated Popovic.
Though he stated that if he sees ways he could further improve the MSU by running for a third term he may consider it, he does not presently think he will.
"I think I will be able to accomplish all that is important this term, but you never know. It depends on what opportunities arise, if I think that I could really help the MSU a lot more, but I think I'll be able to leave my mark after two years of service,” stated Popovic.
McMaster’s international student population faces struggles navigating the housing market, including housing scams, communication barriers and exploitative landlords.
For McMaster University students, navigating the Hamilton housing market can be a challenging experience. With a housing crisis on the rise and rent prices rapidly increasing, many McMaster students struggle to find affordable and accessible places to live.
International students in particular face unique struggles with finding housing. Fourth-year international computer science student Nisheet Kumar Sobti explained how communication barriers between international students and landlords complicate the already difficult process of finding student housing.
“First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English,” said Sobti.
First, you need to understand how difficult it is to find a house for an international student. Especially if you're coming from a different country and you speak a different language. A lot of students when they come to Canada don't even know how to speak English.
Nisheet Kumar Sobti, fourth-year computer science student
In the 2022-2023 school year, approximately 6,500 of McMaster students were international, making up 17.5 per cent of the student body. Sobti explained that the struggles specific to this student population are real and ongoing, which became most apparent to him during his experience finding housing.
“Finding a house the first time was so difficult. There were a lot of scams going on. A lot of landlords, they didn't want to give a house to international students because we couldn’t meet in-person,” said Sobti.
Housing scams can include advertisements for houses that don’t exist or already-rented properties, suspicious requests for money or false lists of amenities. Many incoming international students are unable to attend in-person house showings prior to signing a lease, making them subject to misleading advertisements or housing scams.
Second-year software engineering student Aysu Özdal echoed Sobti’s sentiments. Özdal explained that despite feeling apprehensive to sign her lease, she was desperate to find somewhere to live for the upcoming school year.
“Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back,” said Özdal.
Until the day I moved into that house, I was so scared that it could be a scam. I paid first and last months’ rent and I was so scared that it would be a scam, because there's no getting the money back.
Aysu Özdal, second-year software engineering student
Özdal explained that although her lease agreement ended up being legitimate, this is not the case for every student put in her position. Beyond language barriers and physical distance, international students aren’t always well informed on their rights as a tenant and navigating potentially exploitative landlords.
McMaster arts and science graduate and current CFMU community outreach coordinator Sharang Sharma spoke on this barrier, explaining that international students a prime target for exploitative landlords.
“Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective,” said Sharma.
Half the time [international students] don't know what the laws are, what our rights are … So those kinds of predatory practices are particularly effective.
Sharang Sharma, arts and science graduate and CFMU community outreach coordinator
McMaster does have programs in place, such as International Student Services office, that aim to address these barriers and assist international students in their transition to Canada. However, many international students still face these struggles and are victims to scams and unlawful housing conditions.
Fourth-year international health science student Vitoria Murakami Olyntho shared her thoughts on this shared circumstance and suggested some potential avenues for McMaster to get involved.
“I wish McMaster could take more of an involved role in helping students find housing. Maybe having groups of McMaster accredited landlords or regions where there's kind of a partnership between the school and the housing market…It would be easier to navigate, it would be less confusing and [feel] more trusting,” said Murakami Olyntho.
Not only does this student population face specific barriers when navigating finding places to live close to campus, such as facing housing scams and communication difficulties, but they also are often scapegoated market.
This year, federal government officials stated that the growing number of international students entering Canada has put a strain on housing availability and as a result has driven up rent prices.
Rates of issued international student study permits in Canada have increased by 75 per cent over the last five years. and this increasing blame has resulted in the federal government considering an international student cap.
Conversations around an international student cap are ongoing, all the while incoming international students continue to struggle to find secure and affordable places to live. For more information on resources for international students, visit the International Student Services office.
The victims of scams, cutthroat competition and more scams – students need better support navigating the housing crisis
With the brutal race to find listings, equally intense bidding wars and scams everywhere, McMaster University students continue to face unrelenting obstacles in attaining off-campus housing this year. And they need support – support that the university is failing to provide.
Fuelled by the impacts of the pandemic, the shortage of on- and off-campus housing and the rapidly growing number of McMaster students, affordable housing has evolved into a luxury that few are fortunate to find. While the Hamilton housing crisis may seem like a simple supply and demand issue at first glance, the unstable rental market poses unique challenges for different groups of Students.
International and out-of-province students, for one, are faced with difficulties when trying to arrange their accommodation from a different country or province. Being unable to view listings and meet with landlords in person only makes them more vulnerable to scams and difficult landlords. On top of that, McMaster’s own off-campus housing website does not screen listings and fails to protect students from scams.
International and out-of-province students, for one, are faced with difficulties when trying to arrange their accommodation from a different country or province. Being unable to view listings and meet with landlords in person only makes them more vulnerable to scams and difficult landlords.
Male students are also overlooked in the housing crisis. Though advertising for female-only housing tends to be abundant in Facebook groups and other listing websites, male and co-ed student housing is scarce. Even on McMaster’s off-campus housing website, which features co-ed residences, a majority of the listings are over a thousand dollars per room, rendering the homes unaffordable for many students.
And let’s not forget the incoming first-year students who are waitlisted for residence at McMaster due to the limited availability of rooms and competitive eligibility criteria based on academic achievement. Not only are these students inexperienced, but they also lack the advantage of starting their search earlier in the school year since residence applications take place in June. Without sufficient time and resources provided by McMaster, incoming students are forced to fight for the last few available rentals.
And let’s not forget the incoming first-year students who are waitlisted for residence at McMaster due to the limited availability of rooms and competitive eligibility criteria based on academic achievement.
As many McMaster students have yet to secure affordable, safe and convenient housing, they face a year of uncertainty.
Some students may need to make a commute worth hours or exceed their budgets to afford a sub-par room near campus, while others with limited financial flexibility and fortune are on the verge of homelessness. The sheer infeasibility and severity of current circumstances could even push some students to consider dropping out this year.
To make matters worse, the period of economic inflation continues to put a strain on students. It also doesn’t help that McMaster’s bursary applications close during the winter term. The uncertainty of being accepted for funding and ill-timed disbursement doesn’t allow students to plan their finances for the academic year.
Though McMaster is working to create more residences, there is a need for unique short-term solutions to address the current state of the crisis.
McMaster must recognize that the Hamilton housing crisis is about much more than housing.
From the search for housing to life in their new homes, the crisis has taken a significant physical and mental toll on students, putting their success and well-being at stake. The stress of managing finances, employment, commuting, school and poor housing conditions, such as overcrowding, is draining students across the country.
Students should not have to think twice about purchasing a meal or saving up for next month’s rent. They should not have to compromise their own well-being or academic success because of unaffordable housing. McMaster and other post-secondary institutions need to do better.
Working with the city through the CityLab Semester in Residence program, students have proposed solutions for affordable housing and the rental marketplace
Hamilton ranks as the third least affordable city in North America to live in and with the escalating cost of living shortages of affordable housing have reached an all-time high. In response, students in McMaster University's CityLab Semester in Residence program have partnered with the City of Hamilton to tackle different aspects of the housing crisis.
The CityLab program is a 15-unit course that allows students from all faculties to apply their skills to real-world issues in Hamilton. In the fall semester, students conducted research and consulted with stakeholders to create proposals for improving transitional housing, affordable housing and affordable home ownership.
Bohmee Kim and Rhea Saini, from the CityLab SIR 2022 fall cohort, presented findings on and recommendations for unlocking municipal land for affordable housing to city council last December.
“Our plan for unlocking municipal land caught the attention of councillors. . .The staff seemed inclined to pull together an inventory of all the municipal lands that currently exist in Hamilton and survey them for potentially building homes on,” said Saini, a fourth year student in the bachelor of health sciences program.
Our plan for unlocking municipal land caught the attention of councillors. . .The staff seemed inclined to pull together an inventory of all the municipal lands that currently exist in Hamilton and survey them for potentially building homes on
Rhea Saini, CityLab Semester in Residence Fall 2022 cohort and fourth year health sciences student
Kim and Saini’s recommendations proposed redeveloping government-owned plots of land into affordable mixed-use housing to address long-term affordability. They pointed to The Station, a 45-unit affordable apartment complex built on top of an active fire station in St. Thomas, as an example of how building on underutilized municipal land could be done effectively.
Another CityLab project aiming to improve Hamilton’s rental marketplace proposed solutions such as stricter enforcement of property standard laws for residential properties around McMaster, and information campaigns to address the public's lack of knowledge about the rental market, tenant rights and responsibilities.
“One of [the group’s] major findings was looking at accountability from both the city and McMaster – looking at lack of supply of students, education and the rental process,” said Saini.
Kim and Saini described their experiences in the CityLab SIR as valuable for gaining hands-on experience in working on community engagement projects.
“CityLab allowed me to work on a project outside the role of the student or academia. Seeing what it would look like to talk to stakeholders made community engagement less of a theoretical exercise and more actually putting it into practice,” said Saini.
They emphasized the value of having autonomy over their project which allowed them to explore their interests to make real-world change.
“As students, when we talk about making change, we gain the soft skills to do it. And so [CityLab] is the place to build that toolkit and gain those skills to make meaningful change in a respectful and collaborative way,” said Kim, a third year student in the arts and science program.
Kim discussed the upcoming 2023 fall semester project that addresses methods for building a climate-resilient future in Hamilton. She pointed to creating plans for affordable housing that is energy-efficient and sustainable as an example of a project that will be developed by students during the semester.
“Climate change is happening now. Taking climate action is not something we can only do through social media. We also have to take concrete actions. And at CityLab, you are working with the city and community partners. It's a real hands-on project to tackle climate change and have an impact on the people in the community,” said Kim.
Climate change is happening now. Taking climate action is not something we can only do through social media. We also have to take concrete actions. And at CityLab, you are working with the city and community partners. It's a real hands-on project to tackle climate change and have an impact on the people in the community
Bohmee Kim, CityLab Semester in Residence Fall 2022 cohort and third year arts and science student
The SIR program has been effective in addressing the housing crisis in Hamilton. Students in the program have been able to apply their skills to real-world issues and work with community partners to propose practical solutions to create a sustainable and resilient future for Hamilton. Kim and Saini encourage students to subscribe to their student-interest form for updates on SIR application openings and to follow their website and Instagram.
Academic provost and vice president Susan Tighe delivered the State of the Academy Address on Mar. 1, which was interrupted by a protest about graduate student funding
On Mar. 1 at 2:30 p.m., academic provost and vice-president Susan Tighe gave the State of the Academy address, which covered McMaster University’s 2021-2022 initiatives and progress and the university's aims for the 2022-2023 academic year.
In her address, Tighe emphasized the importance of experiential learning at McMaster, whether through co-ops or hands-on experience, and gave an update on equity and inclusion initiatives spanning over multiple faculties, including McMaster’s new Indigenous Studies department. She also announced McMaster’s new Digital Learning Strategy, to be launched on May 8.
Tighe provided a snapshot of the year, highlighting some key statistics about McMaster’s performance. According to Tighe, 42,000 students accessed the health and wellness centre, the Pulse saw an average of 4,500 daily check-ins, the average admission grade was 91.9 per cent out of 36,000 students and McMaster was placed thirteenth on the Forbes Canada’s Best Employers List.
In addition to this, Tighe spoke to strategies for growing the frozen enrolment rate and recruiting international students. She also spoke about how these strategies have contributed to the post-pandemic consolidated budget.
“McMaster is one of the very few institutions in this province that is healthy financially . . . but we are facing pressures . . . pandemic closures, rising expenses, including utilities and other operating costs, hyperinflation, and certainly government deficits are all impacting bottom lines,” said Tighe.
Near the end of the address, a group of approximately 10 protesters interrupted Tighe by standing up and reading their open letter, in protest of current graduate student funding.
Near the end of the address, a group of approximately 10 protestors interrupted Tighe by standing up and reading their open letter, in protest of current graduate student funding.
Kate O'Melia, News Reporter
The open letter, which is addressed to the McMaster University Graduate Council, has three key demands regarding graduate student funding: extending the funding floor to all full-time graduate students at McMaster, raising the funding floor to $24,000 after tuition and indexing the funding floor to inflation. The open letter also discusses current cost of living in Hamilton, citing a January 2022 report.
“The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Hamilton was $1,559 per month as of January 2022, which means the minimum funding floor of $13,500 per year barely covers the cost of just 8 months of housing,” said the open letter.
At the time of publication, the letter has 548 signatures from individuals and support from a number of local organizations, including the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, the Disability Justice Network, CUPE 3906 and others.
At the beginning of her address, Tighe had announced the Graduate Funding Task Force, a new initiative that aims to collect data on graduate student income and offer short- and long-term solutions to combat affordability issues for McMaster’s graduate students.
The protesters acknowledged this task force and said it was not enough to make up for their funding concerns.
During the protest, the moderator asked the protesters to sit down, saying they would be asked to leave. The event finally ended when Tighe came to speak to the moderator onstage, stating that the event would not continue. By 3:30 p.m. almost all attendees had exited L.R. Wilson concert hall.
The planned Q&A session did not take place, due to the premature ending of the event.
The planned Q&A session did not take place, due to the premature ending of the event.
Kate O'Melia, News Reporter
The address was open to all students and staff, as long as attendees had pre-ordered their free tickets. . If any students or staff were unable to attend, a recording of the address will be available on McMaster’s Youtube Channel.
McMaster students looking for housing in Hamilton deal with rent increases, lack of availability and lack of information
As the in-person fall term arrives, some McMaster students are struggling to find available and fairly priced student housing that is also of sound quality.
Lack of Availability and Increases in Rent
Bronwyn Mowat, a McMaster student, found the process of house hunting to be extremely challenging.
“It's absolutely insane trying to get an off-campus house right now. I've had lots of experiences of people telling me they're no longer accepting applicants because of the sheer volume of people responding to ads. A lot of people straight up ghosted me too,” said Mowat.
The increase in demand, according to Robert Braun, president of Wolverine Property Management, gives landlords the upper edge when selecting tenants, which leads to a sense of frustration when searching for housing.
“A landlord wouldn't let us on their property to tour the house because one of our members was in class and they would only give tours to full groups, even though when we messaged them that morning, they said it was fine if one person was missing,” said Mowat.
Ali Rehmaji, an Honours Biology fourth year student, described the difficulty of interacting with landlords. Rehmaji resorted to messaging several Facebook listings after having no responses through the Mac Off-Campus Housing program.
“Around fourth year, out of 52 different landlords I messaged, only 15 came back to me and I only was able to set up two actual visits before I found a place. It can be a nuisance that I could feel like could be changed,” said Rehmaji.
"Around fourth year, out of 52 different landlords I messaged, only 15 came back to me and I only was able to set up two actual visits before I found a place. It can be a nuisance that I could feel like could be changed."
Ali Rehmaji, Honours Biology fourth year student
Rehmaji also described the lower quality houses currently for pre-pandemic prices.
“My rent is the same. But the difference is, in second year, I had a whole house a full kitchen, two bathrooms, five bedrooms and two floors, whereas this time, it's a small basement apartment, which is, if you look at size, I'd say at least four to five times smaller for the same price,” said Rehmaji.
Information Barriers for International Students
Chinmay Ravindran, an international student going into his final year of the MBA program, described the added difficulty international students face when searching for student houses. Ravindran, who moved to Hamilton in 2021, initially found it hard to access resources about tenant’s rights.
“Before we flew in, we didn’t know the rules. We didn't know that that the rules were mostly in the favor of the tenant,” said Ravindran.
"“Before we flew in, we didn’t know the rules. We didn't know that that the rules were mostly in the favor of the tenant."
Chinmay Ravindran, an international student into his final year of McMaster's MBA program
Ravindran explained this lack of information about tenant’s rights can lead to some landlords taking advantage of international students.
“There needs to be a playbook or guide that really shares what an international student needs to know before that first conversation with a potential landlord. Before they take their first step, they need to know it all,” said Ravindran.
Ravindran also echoed the struggles of dealing with a rent increase.
“The extra $250 that we pay each month, it adds up. We would have wanted to use that $250 to buy a little more groceries or to go out more,” said Ravindran.
The Housing Crisis: A Property Manager’s Perspective
Braun attributes the lack of available houses to owners selling properties during the pandemic.
“Since the pandemic, a lot of the owners we work with sold off their properties because they couldn't rent them. And a lot of them converted back to residential use because that was still a viable option through the pandemic,” said Braun.
As in-person classes were reintroduced, students faced a market with a lower availability of student houses, which resulted in large volumes of applicants for landlords.
“Well, it's been crazy. Really. The demand so outstrips the supply and a lot of our available rooms were gone in May and June,” said Braun.
"Well, it's been crazy. Really. The demand so outstrips the supply and a lot of our available rooms were gone in May and June."
Robert Braun, president of Wolverine Property Management
Braun remarked rent increases are a a result of various increases in insurance, hydro costs, taxes and the inflation and supply-chain issues of property maintenance.
Moving Forward
As the class of 2026 progresses through their first year, issues with finding off-campus housing loom over them. With a highly competitive housing market that favours the landlords, students are left to deal with rent increases, a lack of availability and information when looking for accommodations.
C/O Gustavo Sanchez
Amidst cold weather and high COVID-19 case counts, the city of Hamilton failed to protect and consider its unhoused residents
January 2022 was a difficult month for the city of Hamilton, with temperatures dipping as low as -20 degrees Celsius and hundreds of Hamilton residents hospitalized with COVID-19. Unfortunately, low temperatures and high rates of COVID-19 created even more obstacles for Hamilton’s unhoused population.
“What we've observed as COVID has been ongoing and as the cold weather has been ongoing is just the lack of empathy and the lack of tangible sustainable solutions [from the city],”
Koubra Haggar, member of Hamilton Encampment Support Network’s Steering Committee.
HESN is an advocacy group and support network run entirely by volunteers in the Hamilton community. They advocate on behalf of the needs of unhoused residents of Hamilton and provide unhoused people with support and resources.
Vic Wojciechowska, another member of the Steering Committee, explained how shelters in Hamilton have not been adequately supported by the city throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Wojciechowska explained that, earlier this year, all but one of Hamilton’s men’s shelters were experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.
“Given the Covid outbreaks, [people] were being refused at the door. We had testimonies come in from shelter workers about the lack of municipal support for staffing, for adequate PPE, for any sort of code protocols or measures. We are two years into this pandemic now. The city has had adequate time to respond, to prepare, to prioritize and yet we're in the same position that we were a year ago,” said Wojciechowska.
Hagger added that, over the past few months, the city has taken a clear stance against people residing in encampments by saying that tents have to go.
“They care about aesthetics. The city cares about maintaining a certain image. While making these remarks and saying all these horrible things, they aren't providing any alternatives that are sustainable or dignified,” said Haggar.
Hagger recalled seeing police officers and city workers tell encampment residents to move farther into the trees where they would be less visible.
“The city doesn't have an issue in terms of letting people die in the cold; they also have an issue around maintaining a pristine image of Hamilton that excludes all poor and unhouse folks,” said Hagger.
In November 2021, several people who protested against encampment evictions were arrested. These people said that police officers used violence during the arrests, leaving them with various injuries.
In a video shared by the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion, officers can be seen tackling three Black youth in front of Hamilton’s central police station.
“Here is the footage of Hamilton Police arresting [three] Black youth early this afternoon. These violent attacks are a reminder of outright police brutality & systemic racism. Why are Black youth being arrested when they are advocating for better housing options for residents?”
Statement from Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion
Wojciechowska also pointed out how many of the people making decisions about Hamilton’s housing crisis do not truly understand what the options for unhoused people look like. Wojciechowska recalled that, at a community delegation day to inform the operating budget, a city councilor expressed confusion about why one might choose to live in an encampment over a shelter.
“These are the people that are making the decisions. They don't even understand what the conditions within shelters are,” said Wojciechowska.
Wojciechowska highlighted how this lack of understanding leads the city of Hamilton to present options to unhoused community members that are not truly viable.
“We had someone provide testimony that, during the outbreaks in the women’s sector, people who were in COVID-19 isolation would not be able to access the shower for ten days. Again, these are being presented as options to people. In an encampment, at least you have community, at least you have control over isolation and contact and exposure with others. Whereas [the other option is that] you're crammed into a shelter with who knows how many other people, a shelter in an active outbreak and the city is calling this a housing solution,” said Wojciechowska.
Despite the current situation, Wojciechowska and Hagger expressed optimism that through the work and advocacy of HESN, the public has become more aware of Hamilton’s housing crisis.
“There's been a shift in public narrative over the last year regarding encampments. [There has been a shift in] understanding the conditions and the causes of encampments and understanding how these are linked to the housing crisis and how this is aligned to municipal failure to take responsibility of housing people,” said Wojciechowska.
Treating all members of our community with care is crucial, and this involves respecting and considering the needs of unhoused community members. Moving forward, the city of Hamilton still has much work to do in order to support unhoused individuals.
