Councillor Rowena Santos recently highlighted a disturbing issue affecting international students in the city: exploitation by unethical landlords. Many students arrive in Brampton with limited funds and face a severe housing shortage. Some landlords are taking advantage of this situation. Santos highlighted the disturbing trend of landlords advertising unsafe, overcrowded basement apartments—sometimes housing up to 20 people in conditions that violate fire safety codes. More alarmingly, some ads have crossed ethical boundaries by offering rental agreements that involve “friends with benefits,” turning what should be a basic need for housing into a grotesque exploitation of students, particularly young women.
In response to these challenges, Brampton has been actively working on several fronts. The city has introduced a residential rental licensing program aimed at increasing accountability among landlords. This program is part of a broader effort to ensure that housing meets safety standards and to identify and eliminate substandard rental practices.
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