International students at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) face severe housing insecurity due to inadequate institutional support and a lack of clear policies. Despite the Government of Ontario’s 2024 directive requiring publicly funded universities to guarantee housing options for international students, WLU has yet to take meaningful action to address this critical issue.

🔹 The Problem
International students are left to navigate an unreliable and expensive off-campus housing market, often facing overcrowding, discrimination, and unsafe living conditions. WLU’s off-campus housing webpage has not been updated since 2020, offering little guidance while still listing third-party rental platforms without oversight or accountability. Meanwhile, on-campus housing remains largely inaccessible beyond first-year undergraduates, leaving graduate and upper-year international students at a severe disadvantage.

🔹 Why This Matters
International students contribute billions to Canada’s economy and are a key source of financial sustainability for post-secondary institutions. Yet, universities continue to treat them as revenue sources rather than valued members of the community. Without proper housing support, these students face unnecessary hardship that affects their well-being, academic success, and overall university experience.

Our Call to Action
We call on Wilfrid Laurier University’s Board of Governors and Leadership to implement immediate policy implementation and development to support international student housing:

1️. Create an International Student Affairs Office – Modeled after successful programs at the University of Guelph and UBC, this office would provide housing assistance, rental agreement guidance, and tenant rights education.

2️. Ensure Housing Transparency – WLU must publicly disclose on-campus housing availability and pricing so international students can make informed decisions before arriving in Canada.

Sign this petition to demand real action from Wilfrid Laurier University! If WLU truly values diversity, inclusion, and student success, it must go beyond symbolic gestures and commit to ethical and sustainable formalized housing policies for international students.

#HousingForAll #InternationalStudentsMatter #LaurierTakeAction