Canada to challenge extension of US softwood lumber duties

Reuters
Tue, August 22, 2023 

 Finished lumber is seen at West Fraser Pacific Inland Resources sawmill in Smithers

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada will challenge what Ottawa described as an "unfair, unjust and illegal" extension of U.S. import duties on Canadian softwood lumber products, the trade ministry said on Tuesday.

The softwood lumber tariffs are the legacy of a decades-long trade dispute over the structure of Canada's timber sector that could not be resolved when a quota agreement expired in 2015. U.S. producers say Canada unfairly subsidizes its lumber sector.

The U.S. Commerce Department in July set a duty rate of 7.99% on the product.

Canada on Monday filed notices of intent to commence judicial review of those duties, the trade ministry said in a statement, adding that Ottawa remained willing to discuss a negotiated outcome with Washington. The ministry has routinely filed challenges under the rules of U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade.

"For years, the United States has imposed unfair, unjust and illegal duties on Canadian softwood lumber, hurting Canadian industry and increasing housing costs in both countries," Trade Minister Mary Ng said in the statement.

The United States has based its tariffs on a finding that Canadian timber harvested from federal and provincial lands with low government-set stumpage fees constitutes an unfair subsidy, while most U.S. timber is harvested from private land at market rates.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office said it was trying to ensure a level playing field.

"We are prepared to discuss another softwood lumber agreement when Canada is ready to address the underlying issues related to subsidization and fair competition so that Canadian lumber imports do not injure the U.S. industry," a USTR spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The U.S. Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa and Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru; editing by Susan Heavey, Devika Syamnath and Andy Sullivan)

WORKERS CAPITAL

Northvolt Raises $1.2 Billion Amid Canada Battery Factory Plans


Rafaela Lindeberg
Tue, August 22, 2023 



(Bloomberg) -- Northvolt AB raised $1.2 billion from North American investors including BlackRock Inc. and CCP Investments as the Swedish battery maker is said to be in talks to set up a new factory in Canada.

Northvolt extended last year’s $1.1 billion convertible note to $2.3 billion to finance an expansion of its production capabilities in Europe and North America, the company said Tuesday. Ontario’s public-sector investment vehicle and its pension fund also invested.

The battery maker has raised more than $9 billion in equity and debt in the past six years, bolstered by over $55 billion in orders from automotive clients including BMW, Volvo Cars and Volkswagen. The company has said it plans to eventually go public.

Bloomberg reported in June that Northvolt is close to a deal to build a battery plant near Montreal, a project that’s expected to be worth about C$7 billion ($5.2 billion). Earlier this year, the company also confirmed it was moving forward with a plant in Germany after Berlin pledged roughly €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in aid.

Meanwhile, Northvolt said that its factory in Gdansk, Poland, has assembled first energy storage system products, with deliveries expected to start later this year.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

NB

Strike averted as Université de Moncton and union for administrative, support staff reach tentative deal

CBC
Sat, August 26, 2023 

A tentative agreement between the university and union representing administrative and support staff was reached Saturday afternoon. (CBC - image credit)

The Université de Moncton and the union representing administrative and support staff have reached what the university is calling an "agreement in principle."

In a statement posted late Saturday afternoon, the university said the tentative agreement should put an end to months of labour uncertainty.

"This stability enables us to ensure a quality student experience, and is in line with our strategy of providing a healthy, stimulating and caring environment for the entire university community," university president Denis Prud'homme said in the statement.

Joël Michaud, the union's chief negotiator, told CBC News that ratification of the new agreement could come as early as Sunday or Monday.

The two sides have been in negotiations since December.

The agreement comes after the union voted 98 per cent to authorize a strike on Aug. 18.

Talks continued until Friday when negotiations broke down, with the university issuing a statement that a strike was likely Monday.

But both sides agreed to come back to the table Saturday afternoon, though this time without the help of a mediator, according to a spokesperson for the university. An agreement was reached less than two hours later.

Classes resume for students on Sept. 5.

Art on the go: A Corner Brook professor tows a printing press around western Newfoundland

CBC
Sat, August 26, 2023 

Art Professor Andrew Testa next to his travelling printing press. Testa takes the press to rural areas and encourages the public to try print making. 

(Colleen Connors/CBC - image credit)


Andrew Testa bends down and grabs two handles on a device that resembles a wheelbarrow and drags it around his house to his backyard in Corner Brook.

The contraption has a large bike wheel on one side and a turning crank on the other. In the middle is a small printing press.

Testa, an assistant professor of printmaking at Memorial University's Grenfell campus, is spending his summer dragging his portable printing press to rural areas like hiking trails and beaches all over Newfoundland's west coast.

The project, Printshop in Tow, is taking art-making out of the studio and into the outdoors.

Testa took his printing press to many locations this summer, showing children how to use it. (Andrew Testa )

"It's about getting people really excited about making and whatever comes out of that making and showing that anyone can make," said Andrew Testa.

The project has attracted about 100 participants, ranging in age from seven to 70.

Laine Skinner, Testa's research assistant, brought the printing press on wheels to Gros Morne National Park. They were walking the printing press down the street when a bus filled with tourists drove by.

"A lot of people were eyeing what we were doing and skirting around it and were not really sure what to make of it," they said.

The art-making device certainly stands out, Testa said, but it is surprisingly easy to use.

Testa mostly works with mono prints; the artist draws a picture on using water-soluble crayons, then Testa places a damp sheet of cotton rag paper over the picture and turns the crank wheel to press the inked surface on the damp paper, squishing them together to create a print.

Prints are made by creating an image using water soluble crayons and then presses it on to wet rag paper. (Colleen Connors/CBC )

"Printmaking is really intimidating," said Testa, since presses are generally large, and in studio spaces. "So usually there is a fear that people have when making a print for the first time, whereas one of the things I wanted to show with this press is how fun and easy it is to do."

While the summer workshop series may be almost over, Testa says he isn't done with his travelling printing press.

He plans to take it to outdoor areas with other artists this fall where they can talk and create art.

In the fall of 2024, many of the pieces created with the printing press will go on display at the Tina Dolter Gallery at the Rotary Arts Centre in Corner Brook.

"It is just something that's really exciting … to continue to push the boundaries of what that is and how that works and being able to take a press on a hiking trail or to take it anywhere that I want to go," said Testa.

Riders in various states of undress cruise Philadelphia streets in 14th naked bike ride

Sat, August 26, 2023 



PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Hundreds of people in various states of dress -- or undress – set out Saturday for a ride through some of Philadelphia’s main streets and sights for the 14th Philly Naked Bike Ride.

The annual ride, which started in 2009, is billed as promoting cycling as a key form of transportation and fuel-conscious consumption. It is also meant to encourage body positivity. Organizers stress, however, that participants aren’t required to ride completely in the buff, telling them to get "as bare as you dare."

The course, roughly 13 miles (21 kilometers) this year, changes annually but generally passes city landmarks. This year, bikers went by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, site of the steps featured in the “Rocky” movies, the historic City Hall, tony Rittenhouse Square and the South Street entertainment area. The ride was to end at Independence Hall.

Garry J. Gadikian, from Atlantic City, New Jersey, speaking in Fairmount Park at a pre-race get-together, said the ride was something he had wanted to do for years.

“It’s a very freeing experience, and definitely something that you should do once in your life for that freedom,” he said before joining about 100 fellow participants who were having their bare flesh adorned with body paint and glitter.

Christopher Jordan, who works in information technology in New York City, also joined the ride for the first time. He said he thought it was “more than just about taking the clothes off.”

"It’s just feeling comfortable with your own body and it’s OK to look at other people too, compare or not compare or just see how other people feel comfortable in their own bodies,” Jordan said.

Organizers said the ride wasn't limited only to bicycles. Scooters, e-bikes, rollerblades, skates, skateboards, and even joggers were also welcome, although motorized bikes and scooters were asked to watch their speed. Organizers also point to a code of conduct that bars any kind of physical or sexual harassment.

"Having a column of nude cyclists extending blocks behind, blocks through the city, and causing a decent amount of disruption, interrupting dinner hour" helps show how many cyclists the city has — telling drivers “they need to share the road,” said Wesley Noonan-Sessa, an event facilitator who regularly rides his bike in Philadelphia.

But, he said, he thinks the naked element also helps in ”desexualizing nudity."

The ride used to be held in September, often in temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21.1 degrees Celsius), but enough of the naked riders mentioned feeling chilly that it was moved to August beginning a few years ago. The 2020 ride was called off because of the pandemic.

Tassanee Vejpongsa And Ron Todt, The Associated Press

Beloved pets in Canada rescued from wildfires by volunteers who stayed behind

SUSAN HAIGH
Sat, August 26, 2023 






This photo provided by Veterinarians Without Borders shows Dr. Michelle Tuma as she tends to a dog during the Behchoko wildfire evacuation, July 31, 2023, in Yellowknife, Canada. Many people who took buses or planes to evacuate the area affected by the wildfires could not bring their pets with them and were forced to leave the animals behind. Working with staff around Canada at Veterinarians Without Borders, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; local officials; Dr. Michelle Tuma, a veterinarian in the Northern Territories capital of Yellowknife; and others have been busy helping to save, transport and care for pets as firefighters battle to keep the flames at bay. (Veterinarians Without Borders via AP)

Wildfires forced Amanda Dengler to flee her home in Canada’s Northwest Territories three times in the past 18 months, and each time her cats have evaded her attempts to bring them along.

The latest time, Dengler had to stay away longer than expected, and joined the many residents who have turned to networks of volunteers who are rescuing animals from communities threatened by Canada’s record year of wildfires.

Dengler said she tried to catch her three cats on Aug. 13, when she left her home in the town of Hay River because of a nearby wildfire.

“I think they picked up on my fear and it kind of drove their fear a little bit, and they were not cooperative,” she said.

So, she took her two dogs, a suitcase of clothes and her electronics with her. She filled a bathtub with water and left an open bag of dry food on the floor for the cats, thinking she’d be gone for a few days. Once it became longer than that, she looked for help.

That's when she saw a message on Facebook from Dr. Michelle Tuma, a veterinarian in the Northwest Territories capital of Yellowknife and a member of Veterinarians Without Borders. Tuma has spent the past month trying to help families flee with their pets, reunite with them or keep tabs on animals left behind.

“It’s hard because we don’t really know how long this is going to go on for,” Tuma said.

Her first involvement was helping residents of the small town of Behchoko, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Yellowknife, when they evacuated to the territorial capital on July 24 because of a wildfire.

Many who took buses or planes could not bring their pets with them and were forced to leave the animals behind, Tuma said.

“So we had an amazing group of people who went into the community, helped rescue a bunch of animals out of the community at the owners’ consent and brought them to Yellowknife,” she said.

Ultimately more than 100 animals were rescued and brought to the city where they were kept at boarding facilities, shelters or with the more than 80 foster families who came forward to help.

In the following weeks, there were evacuations in more communities and more pets to help. Then, on Aug. 16, an evacuation order was issued for Yellowknife. In several days, about 20,000 of the city’s roughly 23,000 residents left.

Tuma, however, decided to remain, as an essential worker.

“I’ve been working these wildfires for every other community for the last month and it was just a no-brainer for me to stay back and help with my community, my hometown, and give back to this amazing city,” she said.

Working with staff around Canada at Veterinarians Without Borders, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and local officials, Tuma and others have been busy helping to save, transport and care for pets as firefighters battle to keep the flames at bay.

They’ve brought food and water to homebound pets, fielded calls from worried pet owners, and helped arrange for the delivery of much-needed animal transport crates to remote areas.

“At first, the flights weren’t allowing pets on unless they had carriers and the city immediately sold out of those,” said Charly Jarrett, director of communications for Veterinarians Without Borders.

Eventually, military flights as well as commercial flights allowed evacuees to bring their pets aboard without a crate.

Tuma — sometimes with the help of a locksmith — has been busy rescuing animals in their homes, including a scared kitty who was hiding behind a washing machine before giving Tuma a couple of bites. She also helped staff at a local vet clinic pack up an angry snake for transport. It was spitting, hissing and lunging at its rescuers as they tried to remove it from a glass enclosure.

Tuma also has treated sick animals, prescribed sedatives for anxious ones who needed to be transported, and helped keep track of the approximately 70 to 80 animals still in Yellowknife.

Maggie McGuane — daughter of the late Canadian actor Margot Kidder, a native of Yellowknife who was known for playing Lois Lane in the Superman movies — contacted Veterinarians Without Borders to offer help. McGuane is involved with Wings of Rescue, a California-based charity that transports at-risk pets from disaster areas and overcrowded shelters.

On Aug. 20, a husband and wife team of volunteer pilots from Wings of Rescue flew out 17 animals, including two snakes. The cost of the flight was partly covered by a $10,000 donation from the American-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka and the company’s Vodka for Dog People Charity.

Two of Dengler’s cats, which had to be picked up in Hay River — a five-hour drive from Yellowknife — were on that flight. Her third cat, a 7-year-old indoor-outdoor cat named Stitch, was still at large but was recently spotted by a neighbor.

Dengler, who is staying with friends in Calgary, said it was a relief to know at least her other four pets were safe.

“I think right now people are looking for comfort, right? You leave your whole life behind and … sometimes pets can be family members for some people,” she said. “Even if I lost my house. Even if I lost all my belongings, I still have the life of my animals. Everything else is replaceable.”

N.W.T. premier says prime minister committed to 'accelerating' territorial infrastructure projects


CBC
Sat, August 26, 2023 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and N.W.T. premier Caroline Cochrane meet in Edmonton, Alberta on Saturday, August 26, 2023. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press - image credit)

N.W.T. Premier Caroline Cochrane says the federal government is committed to "accelerating" infrastructure projects in the territory.

This came after a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Edmonton on Saturday morning.

Speaking with CBC News after the meeting, Cochrane said no dollar figure was provided on infrastructure spending, but she was given some assurances.

"He did make a commitment that we would be looking at accelerating the infrastructure that's needed in the Northwest Territories," she said, noting this would include road systems.

The meeting came just a day after Cochrane decried the lack of resources the territory receives from the federal government, describing it as a "third world country."

"We don't have basic infrastructure that every Canadian takes for granted," she said.

Cochrane said she expected Trudeau to be "a little bit angry" with her in their meeting, but was surprised by his reaction.

"Nobody likes getting slammed, but he was actually very compassionate and understanding of the frustration I'm experiencing," she said.

Cochrane says she hopes Trudeau will visit the N.W.T. after the wildfire risk has passed. That would be his first visit to the N.W.T. since before she was elected premier in 2019.

When asked about this absence, Cochrane said "it's disappointing when any minister doesn't come up."

"They represent all of us, not just the southern jurisdiction," she said.

"It's one thing to talk about the North and what our challenges and our strengths are. But if you don't actually see it you don't really understand what we're dealing with."

CBC News reached out to Trudeau's office for an interview but he was not be available.

A spokesperson sent a news release addressing what was discussed, which included "investments in infrastructure, telecommunications, and climate change mitigation and adaptation." No details on the investments were included.

Before the meeting, while addressing reporters, Trudeau credited Cochrane's leadership — although he mispronounced her first name.

"You were one of the last ones out of Yellowknife, helping people to the very last moments and what you're doing now, absolutely focused on them is true to the person you are and true to the leader you are," he said.

Trudeau also said the federal government would remain committed to helping the territory through the crisis.

"The federal government will continue to be there, whether it's right now with resources," Trudeau said.

"We're also going to be there for the long term. As we look at how we build more resilient infrastructure, how we support people living in the north, how we plan for you know, the worse climate change impacts."

Cochrane said she also received assurance from Trudeau that the waiting period for Employment Insurance will be waived for N.W.T. residents.

"He has agreed to be flexible with that so that people won't have to wait long term for their EI," she said, stressing that evacuees who lost income should apply.

With rent and other bills due soon for N.W.T residents, some are asking for more relief


CBC
Sun, August 27, 2023

A fire threatening Hay River is pictured burning across from the West Channel dock near Hay River, N.W.T., on Friday night. Some 69 per cent of residents in N.W.T. have been evacuated due to wildfires so far. (Hans Wiedemann/Facebook - image credit)

Rent and other bills are due in less than a week for many of the residents in the N.W.T. evacuated due to wildfires. Some relief has been offered but community groups say more is needed.

Lisa Thurber-Tsetso, the founder and executive director of the advocacy group Tenants Association of NWT, said she has been receiving at least 15 calls and messages a day from evacuated tenants concerned about their rents.

"We are seeing an increase in volume because a lot of people are falling through the cracks. Rent is due Sept. 1 and they're not even home now," said Thurber-Tsetso, operating a virtual office out of Alberta.

"People are calling in worried about being evicted for arrears on their rent when they can barely pay their living expenses today."

Thurber-Tsetso said many are struggling after being unemployed due to the evacuation and having to pay out of pocket for hotel rooms and gas.

Lisa Thurber-Tsetso says there needs to be more done on rental relief and one time $750 would only go as far. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)

Lisa Thurber-Tsetso said there was a series of problems: cost of trucked water, increase in minimum wage and debt to the territorial government.

Some rental companies like Northview have agreed to prorate tenants' rent. In a Thursday Facebook post, Northview said August rent will be prorated from the date of Yellowknife's emergency evacuation order until the order is lifted.

"Those residents who have had their rental payment processed will have the prorated amount credited to their account and Sept. 1 rent will not be processed and will be prorated based on the date when the evacuation order is lifted, and residents can safely return to our community," the post read.

Thurber-Tsetso said big players like Midwest Property Management should follow suit.

In a statement, Midwest told CBC on Friday that they request residents facing financial strains send them an email.

"We are committed to aiding these Midwest residents who are facing significant hardship related to income loss because of unemployment or loss wages as a result of the Yellowknife fire and evacuation," the statement said.

When questioned whether that means rent relief, Midwest declined to provide further comment.

Utility and carrier bills to be credited or waived temporarily

Thurber-Tsetso said some are wondering if they'll return to an eviction notice.

"People are traumatized. It's going to take some time for people to recover."

She said another stressor is power bills.

The City of Yellowknife said it will be waiving all late fees and penalties on utility bills until further notice, according to a spokesperson who provided CBC News with a statement Saturday.

Pre-authorized monthly payments for property taxes will still continue.

"Similar to the utility bills, the City of Yellowknife will also be waiving any late penalties for the upcoming property tax instalment and final tax levy (for those who did not sign up for a pre-authorized payment plan), due on August 31," the spokesperson said.

At a press conference Friday night, Cory Strang, president and CEO of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC), told news media power bills will be lower as consumption drops in evacuated communities.

"We are discontinuing late payments charges and penalty charges for those who might not be able to do that and providing online bills," he said.

NorthwesTel says it will also provide a service credit on customer bills for the period of the official evacuation order.

"Customers will still be billed, but will then see a credit on their bill for the full length of the evacuation order. Normally the credit appears on the next bill after the evacuation order comes to an end," a spokesperson said in a statement Friday.

The spokesperson said customers in evacuated communities do not need to take any action to receive this credit.

"Once an evacuation order is lifted, we will credit the entire value of residential and small business services for all communities under an official evacuation order," the statement said.

$750 payment 'just ridiculous'

The N.W.T. government is also offering evacuees whose income has been disrupted for over seven days a one-time payment of $750 if they left the territory while evacuating.

"That's just ridiculous," said Thurber-Tsetso, noting the average rent in Yellowknife is north of $1,600 per month.

She said the one-time payment of $750 is not enough.

Khulud Baig, director of policy and community engagement at Women's National Housing and Homelessness Network, echoes the sentiment, saying more is needed in terms of policy and resources.

Khulud Baig, director of policy and community engagement at Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network, says more should be done in terms of policy and resources as rent relief is much needed in the community. (Submitted by Khulud Baig)

Baig said they are offering support to the association as this is one of the first to advocate for tenant rights in the N.W.T.

"Folks that are experiencing any sort of violation of their rights now have somewhere that they can call and get assistance," she said.

"Not everybody is covered for rent relief and not having rent relief leaves people in a very vulnerable position."

Baig said they have started a fundraiser to raise money to directly transfer to people that are in need of immediate assistance and might be worried about losing their housing.

She said rent relief is their first priority and should be for other stakeholders too.

"My only message really is that we really need people to work out of empathy."

Frogs in Fort Smith wetland still 'happily hopping about,' despite wildfire protection work, town says


CBC
Sat, August 26, 2023 

A Saturday afternoon post from Fort Smith Protective Services assured community members that the frogs in the beloved frog ponds are “happily hopping about” despite extensive thinning operations in the surrounding area. (Fort Smith Protective Services/Facebook - image credit)

An out-of-control wildfire continues to threaten Fort Smith, N.W.T., but officials took a moment Saturday to assure community members that the frogs in the beloved frog ponds are "happily hopping about" despite extensive tree-thinning in the surrounding area.

The frog ponds were surrounded by large, old jack pine and tightly packed black spruce that acted like a "fire wick," pulling fires from the south into the dense forested areas of the community, Fort Smith Protective Services said on Facebook.

They said extensive thinning operations, as well as a dozer guard with sprinkler lines, were put in place by crews in order to mitigate that risk.

"I want to assure everyone that this does not mean the low-lying wetlands of the frog ponds have been destroyed," reads the post.

"After a walk into the ponds this morning, I found many frogs happily hopping about in what little wet vegetation is left after a dry summer — but they are still there to croak folks to sleep!"

The wildfire is approximately 3.4 kilometers from Fort Smith, according to a Parks Canada update issued Saturday. The post included a photo of a fire break cut through the forest near the town. 

(Wood Buffalo National Park, Parks Canada/Facebook)

In an update on Saturday, Parks Canada urged evacuated Fort Smithers to stay put.

"Do not return," wrote Parks Canada from its Wood Buffalo National Park Facebook account.

A forecasted wind change has officials expecting fire growth toward the southeast of the town.

The forecast for early next week calls for hot, dry temperatures and southerly winds, which continues to threaten the community.

The wildfire is approximately 3.4 kilometers from Fort Smith, according to Parks Canada.

Extensive thinning operations, as well as a dozer guard with sprinkler lines, were put in place by crews in Fort Smith in order to mitigate that risk. (Fort Smith Protective Services/Facebook )

Officials in Yellowknife are also keeping a close eye on the forecast.

N.W.T. fire information officer Mike Westwick said in an interview on CBC Radio that the "fire did not grow a huge amount yesterday."

"We're making good progress on reducing the threat to the capital," said Westwick.

More than 360 personnel including the Canadian Armed Forces, 17 helicopters, 4 air tanker groups, and heavy equipment are working the North Slave fire.

As of Saturday afternoon, the fire was still about 15 kilometers from the city, according to the territory.

Mayor Rebecca Alty asked Yellowknifers to be patient while officials work on a plan to get people home.

"We're still in the middle of actively fighting fires so very close to the edges of our community which means that we do not have a firm timeline to get you back home yet," said Alty.

"We do not have a firm timeline to get you back home yet."

Alty stressed that when it's time to return, "we won't all come back at once."

"A phased approach will be needed that balances the time required for services to be re-established with the urgency to get you back home and back to your life," said Alty.

A number of highway closures continue to affect the territory, with the N.W.T. government advising Highway 6 from Hay River to Fort Resolution closed Friday night due to wildfire.

Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty says there isn't yet a plan to bring people back to the city. “We’re still in the middle of actively fighting fires so very close to the edges of our community," said Alty in a Facebook video.

University students struggling to find housing in Calgary and other cities

The Canadian Press
Sat, August 26, 2023 



CALGARY — Luis Sanchez Diaz didn't win a lottery this year for on-campus housing at the University of Calgary, but he still considers himself lucky.

The international student, who's in his fourth year of a political science degree, studied online during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 from Cuernavaca,Mexico. He moved to Calgary in fall 2021 and lived in a campus residence until he lost his spot in April.

"It was a lottery, so it really didn't matter how early you applied, if you have paid your fees, how good of a tenant you were," said Sanchez Diaz, 24.

"So, whoever got it was offered a place to live in residence and whoever didn't was put on a wait-list."

Sanchez Diaz searched for a place to live off campus, which he said was stressful, and managed to find a small, shared apartment five minutes away from school with "pure luck."

Not everyone has been so lucky, however, as post-secondary students across the country struggle to find a place to live before school starts this fall.

The University of Calgary's Students' Union said it has heard from many students facing challenges, including some who are forced to live in the far corners of the city where they are poorly served by transit.

"They are seeing hour-and-a half, two-hour commutes, which makes it really difficult to work, let alone actually get to the classroom," said vice-president external Mateusz Salmassi.

"For those students who are able to find a place closer to campus, many of them are sacrificing safety for affordability and living in increasingly unsafe conditions — and then you've got students who are living in their cars because they don't have an alternative.

"We're sounding the alarm. This is not OK."

Similar concerns have been raised across the country as vacancy rates go down and rents skyrocket in many cities.

In Halifax, an organization that helps women find shelter was recently asked by one of the local universities to support incoming students who could not find a place to live.

"I was shocked, really, that someone would come to an organization like ours," said Sheri Lecker, executive director of Adsum for Women and Children. "We're not the right people and we are also snowed under."

Lecker said all housing providers are struggling to find safe shelter for people who are staying in tents, on benches and in cars.

The lack of affordable housing for all Canadians, including students, was a major focus at this week's cabinet retreat as the federal Liberals prepared their agenda for the fall sitting of Parliament.

Politicians promised concrete action on housing, but didn't put any specific new programs on the table.

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations has called on the federal government to spend $3.2 billion to build 15,000 residence units across the country within six years.

Some universities have tried to ease the crunch, but say it's difficult to keep up with the demand.

The University of British Columbia opened a new student residence in Vancouver earlier this month, which is to provide 316 additional beds for students this fall.

"The No. 1 challenge is the same challenge that we are facing across the country right now, which is the shortage of affordable housing," said Andrew Parr, associate vice-president of student housing and community services.

"There's very limited access for students to find affordable and proximal housing off campus. So, that puts a huge demand on what we're providing for students."

That demand grows every year, he said, despite having added 5,500 on-campus beds in the past 12 years.

In 2010, the wait list for student residences peaked at 3,200 students. It grew to 8,000 students this year.

"The wait list has grown by the same amount of beds that we've actually added," said Parr.

Shane Royal, senior director of ancillary services with the University of Calgary, said the Alberta school hadn't had a wait list for on-campus housing for almost a decade.

"Post-COVID, we've seen a dramatic increase in applications to stay in residence," he said.

The waiting list grew to 750 students this year, but Royal said it has been whittled down to 74 students, as most of those who were waiting found off-campus housing.

"What's pushing that now is the housing crisis in the city," he said. "The availability just is not there for students when our vacancy rate is below two per cent."

Salmassi said all orders of government need to do more to solve the housing crisis.

Calgary's city council, for example, has a chance to help this fall by moving forward with recommendations from an affordable housing task force, he said. Those recommendations include increasing and diversifying the housing supply and improving living conditions in rental housing.

"Every level of government points at the other and is telling them to jump first on affordable housing," Salmassi said.

"You can't do that in a housing crisis."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 26, 2023.

Colette Derworiz, The Canadian Press