Publications

This literature review is written by Sophia Carnovale, OUSA's Indigenous Policy Intern for summer 2025. The review examines the mental health experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students in Canadian post-secondary education, highlighting how historical trauma, systemic inequities, and ongoing cultural, financial, and community-related pressures contribute to disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use. It emphasizes the need for holistic, culturally grounded supports aligned with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, including equitable funding, culturally safe learning environments, integration of Indigenous languages and knowledge, and access to Indigenous mental health practitioners or culturally competent service partnerships. By embracing reconciliation and centring Indigenous worldviews within campus mental health and academic supports, institutions can strengthen students’ sense of belonging, promote resilience, and improve long-term well-being and academic success.

Every year, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) publishes "Habitats: Students in their Municipalities," which is a series of student-written case studies on municipal-level topics and issues affecting undergraduates across the province.

The articles in this year's edition of Habitats will explore timely topics, including housing, transit, mental health, navigating transitions, preserving Indigenous culture, and addressing the climate crisis. The authors discuss prevalent themes of cost of living, affordability, accessibility, and advocacy, highlighting the distinct experiences of students.

Every year, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) publishes "Habitats: Students in their Municipalities," where undergraduate students from our nine member institutions can share their successes and challenges within their communities. It includes student-written case studies focusing on a wide range of topics, from student advocacy to the permeating effects of inflation. . 

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.

Student Advocacy Conference (SAC) is OUSA’s annual, week-long advocacy initiative. Students from across Ontario - delegates from OUSA’s member associations - meet with legislators and staffers at Queen’s Park on the most important issues in post-secondary education. At each meeting with Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), delegates highlight the student-written, evidence-based policy recommendations that OUSA advocates to government and ministries all year long. This year ’s SAC ran from November 18th to 21st, where seventeen delegates from nine university student associations across Ontario championed student advocacy to represent the concerns of over 160,000 undergraduate and professional, full- and part-time students in our province.

As the OUSA’s 2024 Research Intern, I had the opportunity to be mentored by the Home Office staff to create a capstone project that spoke to the things I care about. Initially, I struggled a lot with figuring out my topic. What do I care about? Eventually, after days of thinking, I came up with the research question: How can the system better support international students in their job search? It was not easy, but if there is one thing I can take away from the process of writing my capstone, it would be the importance of questioning the validity of the system around us. 

For a seventh year, student advocacy organizations across Canada have collaborated to release Shared Perspectives, a joint publication providing jurisdictional-specific analysis of the disparities on marginalized student groups, regional shortfalls, and areas for improvement as it relates to post-secondary education.  This year's publication focuses on the affordability of post-secondary sector nationwide and highlights the challenges students face as provincial governments and institutions shift their funding and student support approaches. As we grapple with ongoing shifts in the economy, it is essential that provincial governments maintain the affordability and accessibility of post-secondary education for students nationally.Contributors have provided insightful commentary on their jurisdictions' approaches and how provincial governments and post-secondary institutions can best serve students.

This year, Shared Perspectives includes contributions from:

• the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA); 
• the College Student Alliance CSA); 
• the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
• the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA); 
• Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS);

Student Advocacy Conference (SAC) is OUSA’s annual, week-long advocacy initiative. Students  from  across  Ontario - delegates  from  OUSA’s  member  associations - meet with legislators and staffers at Queen’s Park on the most important  issues  in  post-secondary  education.  At  each  meeting  with  Members  of  Provincial Parliament (MPPs), delegates highlight the student-written, evidence-based policy recommendations that OUSA advocates to government and ministries all year long. This  year ’s  SAC  ran  from  November  27th  to  30th,  where  eighteen  delegates  from  nine  university  student  associations  across  Ontario  championed  student  advocacy  to  represent  the concerns of over 160,000 undergraduate and professional, full- and part-time students in our province. This summary document provides an overview of the week, we're grateful for everyone who participated in the conference, and see you next year!

For a sixth year, student advocacy organizations across Canada have collaborated to release Shared Perspectives, a joint publication providing region-specific analysis of an important student issue. This year's publication focuses on post-secondary sector sustainability nationwide and highlights the challenges students face as provincial governments and institutions shift their funding approaches. As we grapple with ongoing shifts in the economy, it is essential that students are not overburdened or undersupported as they embark on their post-secondary education journeys. Contributors have provided insightful commentary on their jurisdictions' approaches and how provincial governments and post-secondary institutions can best serve students.

This year, Shared Perspectives includes contributions from:

• the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA); 
• the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS); 
• the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA); 
• the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA); 
• Students Nova Scotia (StudentsNS);
• Quebec Student Union/Union étudiante du Québec  (QS) | UEQ). 

Every year, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) publishes "Habitats: Students in their Municipalities," a platform where undergraduate students from our nine member institutions can showcase their successes and challenges in their communities. It comprises a series of student-written case studies and articles focusing on municipal-level topics. For this special edition, OUSA has collaborated with Rural and Ready, a student-led non-profit organization, to recognize and highlight the distinct experiences of rural and northern students and to improve the affordability, accessibility, accountability, and quality of post-secondary education in the province.