Incoming George Brown international student Harshal Bhasgauri says he’s dipped into his family’s savings in India to pay months of rent in advance just to get a shot at finding a place to live in Toronto for the school year.
Even then, he says the past four months of searching for housing were filled with unanswered and rejected rental applications, leaving him wondering why he was invited to come to Canada if there was no housing available.
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“I am always moments away from like a mental breakdown, just from the stress of wondering if I’m going to be homeless,” said Bhasgauri, 24.
“While it’s super beneficial for Canada to bring immigrants, and it gives people from other countries a chance to experience a first-world country … I think at some point this country needs to realize that they’re just going one step forward and two steps back.”
The influx of international students has been increasing steadily. A record 550,150 international student study permits were issued last year, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). That’s a 75 per cent increase from just five years ago.
Experts note there’s currently no cap on the number of students coming here, and no requirement by provincial or federal governments to make schools build corresponding housing. The IRCC says it’s reviewing its international student program, with the federal housing minister saying Monday the federal government is considering a cap on the number of international students to ease the pressure on the housing market.
But advocates say more needs to be done at all levels to not only build more housing for international students, but to examine the incentives schools have to bring students to Canada in the first place.
Ottawa considers limiting international students over housing crunch
The federal government is considering putting a limit on international students because there isn’t enough affordable housing.
Schools benefit from international students
Steve Pomeroy, a senior research fellow for the Centre for Urban Research and Education at Carleton University, pointed to the federal government’s growth in study permit approvals even as provinces gradually cut back on post-secondary funding throughout the years.
He says this has prompted post-secondary institutions to use international students as a way to make up for lost revenue.
“You can spread the blame around,” said Pomeroy.
Mateusz Salmassi, the director of advocacy for the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), says the organization has heard from international students like Bhasguari who say they were asked to pay months or even a year’s worth of rent in advance to secure a unit.
He says some students shared stories of living in cramped and unsafe housing that was in disrepair, while others said they had to live in their cars because they couldn’t find anywhere else to live.
According to Salmassi, who is himself an international student from the United States, the lengths these students go to in order to find housing compromises the whole point of immigrating to Canada in the first place, especially because he says they pay much more in tuition fees than domestic students.
“If students have unstable enough housing and can’t afford housing, their ability to get to graduation is put at risk,” he said.
Racialized students can face discrimination
According to IRCC data from 2023, the bulk of international students came from China, Nigeria, the Philippines and India, with the latter comprising about 40 per cent of all study permits granted.
Tania Das Gupta, a gender, sexuality and women’s studies professor at York University who specializes in immigration, says that because international students are usually racialized, discrimination and racism on the part of landlords can make it even harder for this group to find housing.
“Instead of blaming them for their own situation, I think we need to focus on the institutions … that are benefiting from the revenues that they’re paying,” said Das Gupta.
Oversight needed to prevent exploitation of international students
The path to an education in Canada for international students from India can be riddled with roadblocks — from education agents resorting to shady tactics to questionable recruiting practices at private colleges. Advocates want more oversight in both countries to prevent students from being exploited during the process.
Calls for government to invest more
Salmassi says CASA is calling on the government to not only collect more data on the state of the student rental market, but also to invest billions of dollars into dedicated student housing.
“We know that will do two things,” said Salmassi. “It will create safe and affordable housing for the students who need it, and it will also ease the pressure on the rest of the housing market off campus.”
Meanwhile, post-secondary institutions say they’re already building housing, but need more support from the federal government to match demand.
National organizations like Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) have asked for expanded eligibility in funding programs through the National Housing Strategy to help get more housing projects off the ground.
“Expanding access to low-cost financing to build housing, broadening eligibility for programs through the National Housing Strategy and prioritizing affordable housing projects will enable Canada to better meet its diverse and growing housing needs,” Philip Landon, interim CEO and president of Universities Canada, said in an email.
Universities Canada pointed to several examples of post-secondary institutions building on-campus housing. Including Huron University College, which is affiliated with Western University in London, Ont.
The school said it began construction of a new residence with 311 student rooms in December and is set to open in fall 2024.
An artist’s rendering shows the new student residence at Huron University College which is affiliated with Western University in London, Ont. The building will have student rooms and is set to open in fall 2024. (Huron University College News)
Schools cautious around recruitment
Alain Roy, the president of international partnerships at CICan says members are being “very careful” in how they recruit and enrol students from abroad to make sure they can support their time in Canada.
Roy says that in its 2024 pre-budget submission, CICan asked the federal government for $2.6 billion over the next three years to create a loan and grant program for new student housing that would aim to create at least 14,000 beds across Canada.
“But in the mid or long-term what we need is to build more housing, to have the right kind of attention to the kinds of incentives that are there to accelerate the building.”
IRCC response
The IRCC said it is “in talks with” provinces and territories, national educational associations and other key partners when it comes to making changes to its International Student Program to address the student housing shortage.
“The department is currently undertaking a review of the program to examine how it can better select and retain students who can help Canada meet its economic, social and cultural goals,” IRCC said in an emailed statement.
Bhasgauri, an aspiring data scientist, says he supports the federal government exploring a cap into international student permits as a way to tackle the housing crisis now and in the coming years.
“Me as an immigrant student agreeing to this [should] give people who are not here an idea about how bad the situation is,” he said.
As things currently stand, Bhasgauri says that while he appreciates the opportunity to learn in Canada, he doesn’t think he’d bring his family here after he graduates due to the overall affordability crisis.
“I can work three jobs and bring them here just so we can all live in a big house and have one car that we all drive,” he said.
“I just don’t want that life for myself or my parents.”
Rent for student housing is out of control. Is there a fix?
Students are being faced with higher rents and a shortage of supply and some experts say post-secondary institutions need to co-ordinate enrolment levels with the availability of housing.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
