Calgary's university residences unable to accommodate many incoming students

Calgary's worsening housing crisis has reached post-secondary campuses across the city.

Despite having 3,000 rental spaces, the University of Calgary has had to place more than 1,000 students on the housing waitlist this year.

That means just weeks before the fall semester, adequate shelter is still on the back-to-school list for many.

The students' union calls the situation "dire."

"The list is pretty bad," Naomi Bakana with the students' union told CTV News.

"And it doesn't seem like it's shrinking anytime soon."

The union will try to help find short-term rentals and hotels for those in need, but Bakana points out students aren't given special treatment off-campus: they'll be trying to clear the same obstacles as the rest of the city.

"Some of them would actually rather settle for unsafe options off-campus in order to afford university," she said.

"(They're considering renting) places that have mould, places that have water and heat issues, places that are overcrowded."

As recently as 2021, U of C students who couldn't find a bed near the school would be able to rent residences at other post-secondary institutions.

But that's no longer an option because those schools are full, too.

Mount Royal University has 30 people on its own waitlist.

"And the area that we are in is a bit expensive to find housing in," Tala Abu Hayyaneh with the students' association said.

"As you go further, you're able to find more housing but there's the factor of transit and how long does it take to get to MRU?"

"This is a situation that's been a long time coming," said Maya Kambeitz, affordable housing advocate and Norfolk Housing Association CEO.

"There's just a real crunch along the entire housing continuum, and this is sort of a result of that lack of investment."

Kambeitz points out that without more supply paired with careful planning and oversight, the issue will compound.

"We really need to think about how we build a housing system that supports folks at different stages of their life."

Both universities are asking all people on a waitlist to keep applying to residences in case another student drops out.

The hope is there are more spaces available for the winter semester.