SpacesShared was launched in 2023 and the group says they are “responding to the Canadian housing crisis with a solution that prioritizes connection, comfort, and community.” Photo Credit: Mohawk College.
Hamilton’s Mohawk College recently announced that they are collaborating with a new Toronto-based company called SpacesShared to offer students the ability to live in a home with an older adult while completing their studies.
Through the SpacesShared platform, students are provided “safe and affordable home sharing” and older adults are able to make extra income and be paired safely with a local student.
It appears that anyone who has a spare bedroom and can offer kitchen and bathroom access to a student can apply to become a host.
SpacesShared notes that separate units such as in-law suites and self-contained apartments cannot be rented on the platform.
The service will be available to Mohawk College students in a number of weeks, officially launching this May.
SpacesShared was launched in 2023 and the group says they are “responding to the Canadian housing crisis with a solution that prioritizes connection, comfort, and community.”
The application, rental agreement, payments, and relationship management are all built into the SpacesShared website.
In order to match students, SpacesShared reportedly uses a “sophisticated matching algorithm and real human support staff to create a space where compatible students and older adult hosts interested in home sharing can match with each other.”
Each participant in the program must verify their identity, email address, phone number, and must pass a criminal record check.
SpacesShared also verifies the home address and confirms that a host actually lives in a home.
Proof of enrollment is also verified by the platform for students who wish to participate.
Students and adults can then view their matches, chat, and have video calls to determine compatibility before deciding whether to go through with an agreement.
Katie Burrows, Mohawk College Vice President of Students and International, says that the new partnership “offers Mohawk College students with another reliable housing choice as they pursue their education.”
“We are glad to be working with SpacesShared and community members to support a positive college experience that bridges generations for our students and their hosts,” she continued.
SpacesShared Chief Executive Officer Rylan Kinnon assures that the platform “has already inspired many success stories, proving its value in alleviating social isolation and supporting both students and hosts.”
Those who are interested in becoming hosts or are seeking more information are asked by Mohawk College and SpacesShared to visit www.spacesshared.ca for more details.
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