NEWS RELEASE
December 19,2024
OUSA releases “Habitats: Students in their Municipalities 2024”
TORONTO - Today, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) released its annual publication, Habitats: Students in their Municipalities. Each year, students from OUSA’s member institutions highlight the successes and challenges they face in their municipalities through a series of case studies on issues affecting undergraduate students across the province. This year’s Habitats articles span a wide range of topics, from student advocacy to the permeating effects of inflation.
“Like many Ontarians, post-secondary students are navigating the impact of inflation on cost-of-living. However, they face additional challenges that are often overlooked,” said Michelle Wodchis-Johnson, OUSA President and Vice President External Affairs at the Western University Students' Council. “This edition of Habitats highlights the urgent need for stronger collaboration between municipalities and universities to better address the unique needs of all students.”
The articles in this year’s edition of Habitats will explore housing, food insecurity, mental health, and student-community relationships. The authors discuss the prevalent themes of cost of living, affordability, accessibility, and advocacy, highlighting students’ distinct experiences.
Habitats offers policymakers, politicians, students, and administrators insight into student perspectives on issues relevant to them and their communities. It is our hope that sharing these perspectives with stakeholders will contribute to building meaningful and lasting partnerships between students and their broader municipal communities. The authors have demonstrated the importance of student voices in these conversations, and as we navigate the impacts of the evolving economy, it is more necessary than ever that we listen.
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About: OUSA represents the interests of 160,000 professional and undergraduate, full-time and part-time university students at nine student associations across Ontario. Our vision is for an accessible, affordable, accountable, and high-quality post-secondary education in Ontario.
Contact:
Tiffany Li Wu
Manager of Operations and Communications
Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance