Lambton College has been working really hard to put supports in place to assist students looking for housing, especially those new to Sarnia-Lambton.
Senior Director of Community Engagement Diana Forbes said they're aware housing continues to be a concern locally, provincially and nationally.
"The supports we've put in place, we think, have really helped our students proactively be in a space where they can find adequate housing for themselves, or their family, come the beginning of the school year," said Forbes.
She said students are finding the accommodations they need.
"We have a full-time housing coordinator on staff, we've been hosting housing information sessions all summer long and will continue to host them weekly until mid- September. These housing information sessions are meant for the community interested in renting their spaces out to students," she said. "We've seen high attendance at these sessions and the community is coming out and being extremely supportive."
Forbes said they've been sharing a lot of information with students proactively.
"Letting students know about the cost of rent upfront, as well as letting them be very aware of scams. Our housing coordinator has been very proactive in going to these spaces and making sure that they're safe for students," she said.
Forbes said the college continues to work with Happipad and another organization called Spaces Shared to make connections between students and renters.
While she couldn't pinpoint how many students are seeking accommodations this year, Forbes suspects it will be similar to last year because 2023 enrollment is similar to 2022.
Students still seeking accommodations or residents who have space available are invited to contact the college by emailing housing@lambtoncollege.ca
"We also have a very active Lambton College Housing Facebook group. It's managed by Lambton College staff and we make those connections between the community and students directly on that Facebook group," Forbes said.
