Each year, students from OUSA’s member institutions highlight the successes and challenges they face in their municipalities in Habitats: Students in their Municipalities. Habitats is a series of case studies on municipal-level topics and issues affecting undergraduate students across the province.
Articles in this year’s edition of Habitats explore persistent and ubiquitous concerns around housing – including those related to quality, affordability, and availability – and access to community resources to address food insecurity and mental health. Others offer insights into opportunities that have been borne out of the global pandemic, exploring questions about what it means to live in one’s community and how students can play an important and critical role in our pandemic response and recovery efforts.
Ontario’s post-secondary institutions are integral parts of their respective municipalities, and collaboration and coordination between universities and their local municipalities is an important aspect of facilitating a mutually beneficial relationship. A healthy, productive environment born out of collaboration and coordination allows both students and municipalities to thrive by fostering an environment of trust, growth, respect, and community.