Suzanne Petrie, 65, (and her dog Harry) shares her home with boarder Max Benitez-Arreguin, 20. Ms. Petrie is part of a program called SpacesShared that has partnered with several colleges to connect students with seniors living in spacious homes.TANNIS TOOHEY/The Globe and Mail
Suzanne Petrie is a 65-year-old retiree and lives in Barrie, Ont. Max Benitez-Arreguin is a 20-year-old from Cancun, Mexico who shares her home.
By renting space in Ms. Petrie’s home, Mr. Benitez-Arreguin found affordable, decent housing that enabled him to go to school in Canada. For Ms. Petrie, her young student housemate has enabled her to earn a little income, get some help with a few chores, and keep her house secure when she goes away on trips.
“I live in my own in a house, and I have space in my basement that’s like a bedroom, a living room and a bathroom, and I didn’t have anybody living in it,” said Ms. Petrie, a retired teacher. “I don’t want to waste space, not when so many people need housing.”
The host-student arrangement was made possible by SpacesShared, who got their start in 2023 by partnering with Barrie’s Georgian College, where Mr. Benitez-Arreguin just finished studying to become an occupational therapy assistant.
The SpacesShared program has more than 10,000 registered users and operates in Ontario, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and, as of this summer, in B.C., with new partnerships with Langara College, Vancouver Community College and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Another federally funded home sharing platform, called Sparrow, also operates in Metro Vancouver, as well as other areas of the country.
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SpacesShared chief executive officer and co-founder Rylan Kinnon said that they hope to expand beyond Metro Vancouver and into other parts of B.C. The program taps into the reality that students face, particularly when they arrive from another country: the high cost of Canadian housing.
“In terms of affordable housing in British Columbia, while some rental-market indicators have softened, affordability remains a concern for many students,” said Mr. Kinnon. “They still need access to safe, affordable, good-quality housing within a reasonable commute of campus.
Mr. Benitez-Arreguin was 18 when he arrived, and the arrangement has worked out so well he’s staying on as Ms. Petrie’s tenant after graduation.TANNIS TOOHEY
Many students seek out and benefit from the intergenerational relationships that home-sharing can offer, including an introduction to and greater integration into the community where they are living. For older adults and other hosts, home-sharing can help address loneliness and social isolation while easing cost-of-living pressures through supplemental rental income.
“Ultimately, this isn’t just about addressing students’ housing needs,” he added. “It’s also about strengthening communities and creating meaningful connections at a time when many Canadians are feeling increasingly isolated and disconnected.”
Ms. Petrie had heard about the program in the newspaper, and she attended an information session before deciding to proceed. It appealed to her that Mr. Kinnon’s organization would vet students and help manage any issues throughout the home-share for a small fee.
She was required to answer a lot of questions to help find the right match, and then she met with students via a conference call to help her decide.
For example, Ms. Petrie said she knew one student wouldn’t work out because he was rude when she had trouble with the video technology. She also didn’t want to take on the role of someone’s mother, such as telling the students when to clean up their rooms. Mr. Benitez-Arreguin was 18 when he arrived, and the arrangement has worked out so well he’s staying on as her tenant after graduation. He’s found a job within bus-travelling distance.
“You’re leaving your country, going to another country where the language is not your own,” said Ms. Petrie. “And you don’t know the food, you don’t know the transportation, you don’t know anything [about the culture]. What I appreciate about them is that they’re independent thinking people.”
Mr. Benitez-Arreguin pays $550 a month and does some chores, such as mowing the lawn, in exchange for the low rent, which, he said, is much lower than what his friends are paying. He and Ms. Petrie sometimes share meals. His parents were comforted knowing he would be in a safe environment, and he’s learned a few things from his senior housemate.
“It’s totally different backgrounds, right? I guess, them being older than you, they have very good insight into how life works around here,” said Mr. Benitez-Arreguin. “So, at least in my experience, they’re usually helpful in letting you know how everything works, and there’s a lot of things to talk about, especially because of that. They are very good teachers in life, and how this country works,” he said.
Mr. Benitez-Arreguin credits Ms. Petrie with helping him cope with his first winter in Canada. “My first winter was a big impact, but … the landlord helped me figure out proper stuff to wear for the weather, and how to handle the ice. That was new to me. I think I had a pretty good first winter, and second winter.”
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In B.C., 235,955 people over the age of 65 lived alone according to the 2021 census. And although asking rents for new units in the region have dropped since 2024, the overall average rent, including long-occupied units, is around $2,000 per month, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
For postsecondary institutions, a home-share program can help them attract and retain students.
Langara Global director Brad Van Dam said in an e-mail that it’s not just about housing costs.
“Finding safe, affordable and welcoming housing can be one of the most stressful parts of moving to another country to study,” said Mr. Van Dam. “Having a safe and welcoming place to live can help students feel settled, secure and at home as they begin their studies at Langara.”
Jennifer Gossen, director of International Education at Vancouver Community College, said that fostering a sense of community among students is central to her work, as well as helping students find appropriate housing.
“Finding affordable housing close to transit can be a significant challenge for students, and SpacesShared can provide not only a more accessible housing option, but also a welcoming, homelike environment,” said Ms. Gossen.