By Edward Wong [1]

Tuition fees are certainly a barrier to the accessibility of education. However, an issue not often discussed is the living expenses of students. As with tuition, students are forced to take out loans or seek part-time employment. The debt load has tremendous financial implications after graduation and can be linked to drop out rates. According to the Canadian Federation of Students, insufficient funds and the need to seek employment is the number one reason for the interruption of studies for both university and college students.

The median expenditure for the academic year, which includes both educational expenses like tuition fees and non-educational expenses like food and shelter, reported by Statistics Canada in 2003, amounted to $11,200 for university students and $9,330 for college students. A majority of these expenditures could be attributed to living expenses including rent, food and utilities. The median non-educational spending during the academic year amounted to $6,200 for university students and $5,480 for college students.

When whether the student lives at home or independently is factored in, the living expenses become even more dramatic. The median annual non-educational expenditure for full-time students living alone was $8,000, compared to $3,800 for students living with family. Over a third of current full-time students live away from home. The median non-educational expenditure for university students living away from home was $8,000, versus $4,500 at home. For college students it was $8,100 away from home and $3,700 at home.

Of course, these numbers are from across the country; if we were to focus on certain metropolitan areas, the numbers would be even higher. For example, according to the International Students Centre at the University of Toronto, the total living expenses one could expect in Toronto in 2006 was approximately $14,000. The total included $7,200 for accommodations, $3,800 for food, $650 for clothing, $1,200 for local transportation, and $1000 for books and instruments. In addition, international students would likely spend over $756 on health insurance.

Housing expenses make up the largest proportion of a student's general living expenses. However, this issue has become contentious ever since students and workers raised the issue of student housing while demanding an end to the University of Toronto administration's rent increases – specifically, the 20% residence fee increase at New College.

We must look at the circumstances faced by students looking to obtain housing, specifically, those who are racialized, gendered or of the working-class. A major problem is housing discrimination, which refers to behaviour, practice, or policy that causes harm through inequitable access to, or use and enjoyment of, housing.

Studies have shown that housing discrimination dramatically affects racialized minorities, women, and people with disabilities. And although no substantive study has been done on housing discrimination faced by youth, who make up the largest proportion of the student population, various housing experts agree that from anecdotal evidence, discrimination does exist given the likelihood of inconsistent revenue sources. University residences may serve as the only option; but because of exorbitant rent in many universities, it has become off-limits for many.

An argument has been made that there are plenty of off-campus housing options available should students find residence fees too high. Assuming that marginalized students are able to avoid housing discrimination, there still is a significant shortage of affordable housing in Toronto and in other cities across Canada. Consider the following:

• In 2002, 32,000 persons used Toronto's homeless shelters, including 5,000 children (City of Toronto, 2003)
• In 2005, the National Homeless Initiative estimated that 150,000 Canadians were homeless; other organizations place the number at between 200,000 and 300,000 (Laird, 2007)
• 250,000 households spent 30% or more of their wages on accommodations and are considered to be experiencing relative homelessness, at risk of absolute homelessness (City of Toronto, 2003)
• With increasing poverty rates in Toronto, more people are competing for less affordable housing units, with a combined loss in rental housing from 1996 to 2002 at more than 5,000 units (City of Toronto, 2003)
• Though average rents decreased by 1.5% in Toronto in 2003, average rents had previously increased by 31% between 1996 and 2002, more than twice the 14% rate of inflation over the same period (City of Toronto, 2003)
• While the average low-income household could only afford to pay $450 in rent, the average cost to operate new rental housing in Toronto is about $1400 per unit (Layton, 2000)

These are the circumstances faced by students in cities like Toronto and one of the many issues making education inaccessible to low-income students. How can universities claim to be open to people of all economic classes if they refuse to make firm commitments to providing affordable housing for students? It is clear from the decisions by university administrations to raise rental fees, including UofT, that there is a lack of commitment to affordable housing. Housing is both a right and an integral requirement for accessing education.

Even if tuition fees are eliminated, general living expenses will still exist as a major barrier to accessibility. In addition to the elimination of tuition fees, properly funded need-based student grants and study allowances should be provided by the government to ensure that all students can afford to pursue post-secondary education.

Considering that housing makes up a major proportion of a student's spending, and Canada is facing a massive shortage in affordable housing, universities need to reaffirm the right to housing by refusing to increase rent and working towards a reduction of rental fees.