The Quiet Crisis on Campus: Food Insecurity and Housing Instability in Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions
- Amanda Parriag
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
By Susan Underhill, Principal, Connor Claire Group & Amanda Parriag, Principal, ParriagGroup
While many campuses are investing in bold new visions of student success, two of the most basic student needs continue to go unmet: food and shelter.
It’s a quiet crisis—one that affects students in every region, at colleges and universities of every size. But for international students, LGBTQIA2+ students, disabled students, and those living on low incomes, it’s not quiet. It’s constant.
And it’s getting worse.
The Numbers Are Stark
According to a 2021 study, more than 57% of Canadian post-secondary students experience food insecurity, with 20.7% classified as severely food insecure (Meal Exchange 2021). One in four reports that their grades suffer because they can’t afford to eat well. This study found that International students, single parents, and LGBTQIA2+ students are even more likely to struggle with access to consistent, nutritious, and culturally relevant meals.
Housing insecurity is also widespread. Some studies estimate that 25% of students experience some form of homelessness during their post-secondary education, most often through couch surfing or precarious temporary housing (Herlick 2023). Students with disabilities often can’t find accessible housing (Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health 2023); LGBTQIA2+ students may face unsafe or exclusionary environments (Weissman 2018); and international students regularly encounter discriminatory rental practices (The Conversation 2025).
Figure 1 | Housing instability & homelessness in the student population in Canada
These are not fringe cases.
They are structural, predictable, and deeply consequential for learning, retention, and well-being.
“Paying for school and living is a very hard and stressful thing to do and has put a huge impact on my school. I know I have potential, but it is hard to focus only on school when you are stressed about other things like money, bills etc.”
As reported in Weissman, E., & Waegemakers-Schiff, J. (2018, November). Student homelessness in post-secondary schools: An introductory case study. Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
The Supports Are There—But They’re Not Enough
Many institutions are trying. ParriagGroup and Connor Claire Group conducted a review of 100 post-secondary institution websites and we found that:
Most offer food banks, but few provide meal vouchers, community kitchens, or culturally appropriate food.
Housing support is often limited to off-campus listings, with only a handful of PSIs offering short-term or emergency housing.
Programs like community fridges, meal-sharing initiatives, and host family housing exist—but are inconsistent and often underfunded.
Only a few institutions, like McGill’s First Peoples' House or the University of Regina’s Colourful Campus Housing, offer identity-affirming or priority housing for Indigenous and LGBTQIA2+ students.
Despite these efforts, there is still no consistent or coordinated strategy to meet the basic needs of students across Canadian PSIs.
Non-Academic Supports Work
Students cannot learn when they’re hungry, unhoused, or anxious about meeting their basic needs. Our research also found emerging evidence that providing students with supports helps! For example, a 2022 meta-analysis provided evidence that a variety of food aid interventions offered through PSIs have a positive impact on students’ well-being (Hickey 2022):
Campus food pantries was linked to reduced stress, lower food insecurity, and better academic focus.
Meal voucher programs improved diet quality and reduced financial strain, supporting academic success.
Nutrition workshops increased nutritional knowledge and healthier eating habits.
Community gardens resulted in greater access to fresh produce, stronger community connections, and better mental health.
Mobile food distribution reduced barriers to food access and supported persistence in studies.
Further, there is emerging evidence which shows that students who received emergency housing aid were twice as likely to graduate than those who did not receive such aid and were housing insecure (Anderson 2021).
The Way Forward: A Basic Needs Strategy
We need to go beyond the food bank and housing registry. Canadian PSIs can take a bold step by developing Campus Basic Needs Strategies, institution-wide frameworks that:
Map and assess existing food and housing supports
Identify gaps in reach and inclusion, especially for under-represented groups
Co-design services with students, based on lived experience
Set goals and metrics to reduce insecurity and increase well-being
Evaluate and adapt continuously
In the United States, the California State University Basic Needs Initiative offers a promising model, combining free meals, emergency housing, and accessible mental health supports to dramatically increase persistence among low-income and first-generation students (Crutchfield 2018).
Canada can, and should, build its own.
We Can Help
At ParriagGroup and Connor Claire Group, we specialize in working with post-secondary institutions to build equitable, data-informed support strategies that reflect what students actually need. From basic-needs audits to equity-focused service redesign and program evaluation, we help institutions turn commitment into action.
Let’s Talk
Ready to understand how well your institution is meeting students’ most basic needs? Let’s talk about a Campus Basic Needs Strategy Audit.
Susan Underhill
Amanda Parriag
Works Cited
Anderson, D.M. 2021. Equity grantees cross the finish line at Compton College: Evaluation Brief. Equity.
Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health. 2023. Accessibility & Accommodations Toolkit. Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health.
Crutchfield, R. & Maguire, J. 2018. Study of Student Basic Needs. California State University Office of the Chancellor.
Herlick, K. & Danis, J. 2023. Housing Instability & Homelessness in the Student Population. Academica Forum.
Hickey, A., Brown, O., & Fiagbor, R. 2022. "Campus-based interventions and strategies to address college students with food insecurity: A systemic review." Journal of Hunber & Environmental Nutrition 18 (1): 81-95. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/19320248.2022.2101413.
Meal Exchange. 2021. "2021 National Student Food Insecurity Report."
The Conversation. 2025. "International students' housing challenges call for policy action."
Weissman, E. & Waegemakers-Schiff, J. 2018. Student homelessness in post-secondary schools: An introductory case study. Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
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