A real plan needs the right sequencing, real commitments from Queen's, and a seat at the table for the students it affects.
Kingston is in the middle of a housing crisis, and nowhere is that felt more sharply than in Sydenham.
Queen's University's student population has nearly doubled since 2000 - from roughly 17,800 to almost 35,000 today - and only about 1 in 5 of those students live on campus. The rest compete for housing in a rental market where the citywide vacancy rate has hovered near 2-3% for a decade, far below the 3–4% needed for a healthy market. The City's own Growth Study projects the combined post-secondary population will grow by another 14,000 students by the time the new Official Plan takes effect.
This isn't just a "student problem." When student demand outpaces purpose-built supply, it spills into the broader rental market - driving up rents for families, converting affordable units, and displacing long-term residents. Residents call this "studentification," and it's fair to say it has strained relationships between long-time Sydenham families and the student community that lives alongside them. I don't think that tension is inevitable. I think it's the result of years of planning without a real strategy.
In February 2026, City Council directed staff to develop Kingston's first-ever Student Housing Strategy, meant to align with the new Official Plan. That motion - pushed for by community associations across Sydenham, Kingscourt, McBurney Park, Portsmouth, and Williamsville - was overdue, and I support seeing it through properly.
But a strategy on paper only matters if it's completed on time, properly resourced, and genuinely shaped by the people it affects — students included, not just planners and property owners. Right now, the risk is that the Student Housing Strategy gets finished after the Official Plan is adopted, which would mean student housing needs are bolted on rather than built in from the start. I don't think that's good enough.
Get the sequencing right. Push to have the Student Housing Strategy substantially completed before Council adopts the new Official Plan - not after - so student housing needs shape the Plan instead of being retrofitted into it.
Promote thoughtful residential density: Support smart, well-planned growth that increases housing availability without compromising neighborhood character and livability, focusing on developments that fit Sydenham’s unique community fabric.
Engage Queen’s proactively to collaborate on a clear housing strategy, encouraging the development and transparency of commitments to expand on-campus and nearby residence capacity in alignment with the City’s plans.
Protect existing neighbourhoods while building new supply. Clear zoning and design guidance for purpose-built student accommodation in appropriate, well-served locations, prioritizing mid-rise buildings (4–8 storeys) that fit Sydenham's heritage character.
Get the data right. Support a researcher-led housing survey, and push to finally activate the Landlord Registry Council approved back in 2024 but has yet to implement.
Protect tenants in the meantime. Accessible, ongoing education on tenant rights, stronger enforcement of rental standards, and support for students navigating bad-faith landlords.
Keep both communities in the room. More frequent Post-Secondary Working Group meetings that include student leadership - AMS, SGPS - alongside community association representatives.
For StudentsSafer, more affordable housing closer to campus, and a real say in decisions that affect where and how they live.
For FamiliesLess pressure on family homes being converted or priced out by unmanaged student demand.
For Long-Term ResidentsA plan-led approach to growth instead of one that reacts to it street by street.
For KingstonA Student Housing Strategy that actually informs the Official Plan, not one finished after the fact.
I'm not approaching this as an outside observer. I've lived in student housing myself while working and also doing my PhD at Smith School of Business. I've also spent the past several months house-hunting in this same tight market for my own family. I understand both sides of this pressure - because I'm living both sides of it. That's the perspective I'll bring to getting Kingston's Student Housing Strategy right: not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a real plan that lets students and long-term residents both call Sydenham home.
Sources: City of Kingston Population, Growth and Employment Analysis; CMHC Rental Market Reports; Queen's University Institutional Research and Planning; Sydenham District Association Student Housing Strategy Backgrounder (2026).
This is a commitment, not just a talking point. If I'm elected, check back here to see how I'm doing on Kingston's Student Housing Strategy.