In addition to all the usual stressors, post-secondary students are faced this year with the task of finding accommodations.

It’s back to class this week at Memorial University but finding a place to live tops the agenda of many a student.

John Harris, VP External at MUNSU, says he has heard of some instances where students have deferred their education for a year because of a lack of accommodations. He says governments at all levels have to become involved in changing regulation. For example, he notes that there are some 800 listings on Airbnb in the metro region.

He says one company has 43 listing for houses and that most of the 800 listings are full houses with multiple rooms, and that that is contributing to the problem.

Students are planning a protest rally this fall.