Canadian college yields to pupils' housing demands
Avneet Kaur
Jalandhar, September 7
Protesting students at the Canadore College in North Bay, Canada, emerged victorious after a 24-hour protest over a lack of affordable accommodation in the area.
The college, grappling with an overwhelming number of international students exceeding its accommodation capacity, yielded to the students’ demands today.
As per information, the college had in September 2023 admitted approximately 3,500 students, exacerbating the housing crisis in the sparsely populated city of North Bay. The college’s partnership with private entities had left it largely unregulated by the government, leaving students at the mercy of the institution.
The students had been fervently advocating for accommodations for several weeks, but their pleas had fallen on deaf ears as the college remained unresponsive.
Faced with the commencement of classes and an untenable housing situation, students rallied under the leadership of the Montreal Youth Students Organization (MYSO). MYSO leader leader Manpreet Kaur said: “The college authorities asked for a list of students who wish to stay or relocate or want refund, which we have submitted. If the demands are not implemented in three days, we will organise a bigger protest.”
