As an international student who came to North Bay from Mexico City in 2021, I was sold on the Canadian dream; greater education, new opportunities, and a better quality of life for myself, my husband, and our young son. It was when I was on the edge of homelessness when I discovered that the promises made to me were just that, a DREAM.
As I started my educational journey at Canadore College, I was faced with a housing crisis, financial exploitation, a lack of support, constant miscommunication and misinformation that led to missed job opportunities.
When I graduated in June, I wrote a letter to the administration of the college outlining my negative experiences as an international student and was never issued a response.
On September 6th, I attended the Commerce Court campus to stand in solidarity with international students who have been left without access to shelter, support, and basic needs.
This housing crisis and continued exploitation of international students is not new. In my time studying at Canadore, we were made aware of numerous other international students sleeping in their cars as they were not able to access college residences that they had been promised nor could they afford off-campus accommodations with rent that is higher than most mortgages.
In a time when the unhoused international students needed the support of the college most, they were turned away from campus and sought refuge in tents in an asphalt parking lot. I approached the students and immediately saw myself and the struggle I endured in them. They came here looking for better opportunities and invested all they have to be here.
I am sure that the reality they are facing is far from what they and their families were sold by the college.
Offering short-term accommodation is a band-aid solution, the college must do better to support the students who are paying triple the domestic tuition, funding many of these initiatives we see in the press. These are unsafe conditions for students who are already made vulnerable by their immigration status, isolation, and financial exploitation.
Being an international student is hard not only because you are moving away from everything you know, but also because you are moving far from your social support network; however, what keeps us moving forward is the hope to get to the life they told us we would find. I will NEVER forget how vulnerable and lonely I was feeling after realizing that the reality was far from what I was told. My reality changed in a matter of days. I was a woman full of expectations, excitement and hope and a few days later I was worried about my family having our basic needs. It is well known that when your basic needs are not met, there is a lack of social support network, exposure to direct and indirect discrimination and financial exploitation can make people more vulnerable to mental health concerns, labour exploitation, and sexual and gender-based violence.
Integration into the community is another challenge. International students face constant direct and indirect discrimination whether we are just trying to get a phone line or we are trying to get a job. This is because there is no knowledge about the immigration process. Even when we have all of the documentation in order, doors are closed to us, which is a violation of the rights we have been given by the government.
Canadore College is neglecting the responsibility it has with international students as it is the only support network. With the amount each international student is paying in tuition, there should be real support for all of us from accommodation, immigration advice, investment in transportation, and support with community integration and connection.
I was lucky to find professors, classmates and shift partners who supported me while I was studying and they are still supporting me now that I am a graduate. I will always be thankful to all of them because they are the reason why me and my family did not end up unhoused and they are the reason why I have become a member of this community.
