Postsecondary institutions respond to increased student homelessness

Several postsecondary institutions are seeing increasing demands for supports and emergency aid as student homelessness worsens, reports Becky Rynor of University Affairs. Nova Scotia Community College Counsellor Lisa Mader shared that students may find themselves homeless for a wide range of reasons, and the college recently piloted an emergency housing program that offered up to 30 days of accommodation and funds for food and transportation. The University of British Columbia has invested over half a billion dollars into creating more housing options over the last 12 years, explained UBC AVP Andrew Parr, but demand has continued to grow. At McGill University, Media Relations Spokesperson Katherine Gombay shared that the scholarships and student aid office has been receiving a large number of requests for larger amounts of money. The university has been working with a range of partners to raise awareness of its emergency financial supports for students. University Affairs Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.