By Victoria Andrade
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) prioritizes housing for first-year students according to the university, but as they move into their later years, many are struggling to find affordable accommodations near campus.
As competition for vacancies in the downtown housing market rise, students are left wondering where to begin when looking for a place to live.
First-year engineering student Camila Rabia voiced concerns about the downtown area’s expensive housing costs. “I wish there were more affordable places to live downtown, especially as students,” she said.
With average rent costs ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 a month, many second and first-year students have considered moving back home and commuting across Toronto to the university. Due to the campus’ downtown location, 77 per cent of students take public transit daily, according to TMU.
Laura Jurkovic, a previous resident of Pitman Hall and second-year fashion student, is one of many who opted to face a long commute instead of paying comparatively higher rent.
“I’m commuting from Burlington [Ont.], which is a whole process…going from living five minutes away to [now] commuting an hour and a half, I found it kind of tough,” said Jurkovic. “But the housing market right now is very expensive, especially for students. It’s very hard to find a good apartment near campus for a cheap price.”
According to research conducted by TMU in 2022, 61 per cent of students reported that their commute was a barrier to their academic participation and 30 per cent of students believed that commuting is a barrier to their academic success.
However, despite the challenges of finding a new home, students feel torn with the choice of staying in the city with a big price tag and convenience or moving back home.
“I do want a bit more independence. I want my own place, my own kitchen, but I also still want that convenience of the school doing everything for me,” said Rabia.
Unlike Western University, the University of Toronto and several other universities that have guaranteed residence for incoming first-years, TMU does not provide that guarantee.
TMU offers residence to students based on their distance away from the university and the demand for housing that year, with no guarantee of a spot. This leaves many first-year students on a wait-list indefinitely.
TMU President Mohamed Lachemi said, “TMU gives priority to incoming first-year students as well as students who are far from home to the university, and we know that the first year of students is a significant transition [to university life].”
Meanwhile, several first and second-year students expressed that the school’s few resources for off-campus housing have left them feeling unprepared to take on the housing market.
When asked how the school can better support students, first-year RTA media production student Riya Savundranayagam said, “I think just more information sessions…I don’t really know how to search for an apartment.”
Second-year professional communication student Sam Eze also recalled feeling similarly when he was searching for housing before the school year. “Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t say I was prepared. Thankfully, I got in touch with a realtor who helped one of my friends. But even then, I wouldn’t say it was an easy process…I was so in the dark, I did not know what I was doing,” he said.
The lack of housing availability in the downtown core continues to have a direct impact on students’ mental health and their ability to participate in classroom activities.
A study conducted by psychology professor at the City University of New York, Angela Marinilli Pinto in December 2024 found that 58 per cent of 576 American commuter undergraduate students screened positive for depression, 37.8 per cent screened positive for generalized anxiety, just over half had poor sleep quality and less than a quarter met physical activity recommendations.
“I definitely feel like it has affected my ability to utilize the student equipment and the classes I do take…I don’t really want to take design-based classes anymore because of how much work I’d have to put into commuting there and back,” said Jurkovic. Commuting plays a role in her scheduling and course selection, leaving her unable to get full use of the courses offered in her program.
Looking ahead, Lachemi expressed optimism about expanding on-campus housing. “In this transition, we are hoping that the coming few years will increase our capacity on the campus,” he said. “I think we will be able to do more for upper year students.”
As students embark on their home-hunting journeys, many urge TMU to begin offering more opportunities for upper-year students to live in TMU’s residence buildings.
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