Off-campus living

Ontario Tech University has a partnership with Places4Students, a website made to find available rentals in the school’s vicinity that suit your personal needs. While we recommend starting there, there are countless other sites to help you find suitable accommodations:

• Gottarent
• Kijij
• Pad Mapper
• Rent Seeker

Additionally, there are buildings near Ontario Tech that offer rentals to students:

• Foundry 1805 (Located on Simcoe Street, just a short walk from the Oshawa campus. These are un-furnished or furnished units, with laundry located on every floor, and group or quiet study spaces.) *Requires a 12-month lease
  
  
• Foundry Simcoe (Directly across the street from the Oshawa campus. There are three-bedroom and five-bedroom suites available. Each room has its own bathroom. Kitchen and living space is shared. Bi-monthly cleaning service. Utilities are extra – automatically split between tenants and bill sent directly by Varsity.) *Requires a lease term of September to August.

• 17Hundred (Five-minute walk from the Oshawa campus on Simcoe Street. There are two- to five-bedroom apartments available.)

Another option for International Students to find housing is through the Canada Homestay Network. Through this organization, there are a range of housing options from just a room, to a room with 3 meals a day, and furnished or unfurnished. 

The above listed platforms are NOT affiliated with or endorsed by Ontario Tech, and listings have NOT been inspected by the university. Please be cautious when communicating with landlords, avoid sending money before confirming that a listing and landlord are legitimate, and arrange to view the property whenever possible. If you cannot attend in person, consider requesting a live video tour and having someone you trust view the unit on your behalf. 

Ontario landlords may request rental history, credit references or permission to conduct a credit check. Some landlords may be willing to consider international financial documentation or references when Canadian credit history is unavailable, but this is determined by the individual landlord. Since rental requirements vary depending on the landlord. It is helpful to prepare a package containing:

• Passports or other identification for the adults who will be named on the lease
• Your Ontario Tech offer or enrolment letter
• Proof of available funds, such as recent bank statements
• Proof of employment or income for you or your spouse, where applicable
• Previous landlord, employer or personal references
• Immigration or study-permit documentation, once available
• A brief letter explaining that you are newly arriving in Canada and therefore do not yet have Canadian credit history

Most residential tenancies in Ontario should use the Ontario Standard Lease Agreement. Ontario rules also distinguish a last-month’s-rent deposit from a damage or security deposit; the standard lease guide explains what deposits may legally be requested.

Once you are enrolled, the Ontario Tech Student Union Legal Support Program may also be able to help with questions about a lease or housing-related legal concerns.

Over the years, there has been an increase in housing rental scams, particularly targeting university students. Rental scams involve a landlord, property manager, or agent using various tactics to trick potential renters into sending additional money than required by legal requirements, providing more personal information than needed, or listing a property that isn’t actually for rent. 

To avoid falling to rental scams, it is important to review the resources listed on this website, learn more about housing rental scams, and stay vigilant throughout the rental process.