Canadian Mennonite University to give first-year students free housing

Author Abigail Turner
A first-of-its-kind initiative at the university in Winnipeg will eliminate housing costs for first-year students.

Why It Matters

Rising housing costs have become a significant barrier to post-secondary education. CMU’s announcement shows how donor support can create lasting benefits with the potential to impact Canadians for generations to come.

Inside a dorm room at Poettcker Hall. (Canadian Mennonite University.)

Students attending their first year of school at the Canadian Mennonite University can stay at their dorms for free. 

According to the Winnipeg post-secondary school, the program is the first of its kind in Canada, thanks to a generous donor.

“By removing cost barriers, we’re opening the door for every student to begin their university journey surrounded by support, belonging, and opportunity,”  said Charlie Peronto, Vice-President Student Life and Campus Operations.

The initiative will begin in the fall of 2026 for all full-time first-year domestic and international undergraduate students in shared dormitory housing. 

Canada’s housing affordability crisis has increasingly created barriers for post-secondary education students.

More than 1.2 million students search for housing in Canada each year, according to a report by Desjardins. 

Canada’s student housing crunch means many students must take up low‐paying full-time jobs.

Working a full‐time minimum wage job while balancing a full course load is still not enough to rent a shared 2‐bedroom apartment at 30 per cent of one’s income in most Canadian markets, according to a paper written by University of Toronto professors.

CMU’s housing initiative will save each student around $3,000, but the university says the benefits go beyond the savings. 

Living on campus reduces travel costs such as fuel or bus fares, creating a smaller student carbon footprint. 

It also equates to 160 to 240 additional hours of time over the school year that students can spend studying, socializing or being physically active. 

CMU’s data also shows students living on campus graduate 25 per cent faster, have 0.25 higher grade-point averages, and report better mental health outcomes.

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  • Abigail Turner is an award-nominated journalist who began her career in broadcast journalism. She worked primarily as a video journalist in Winnipeg before moving to Vancouver. Turner has taken on various roles in her career, including anchor and producer, while working in major outlets, including Global News and CTV News. She recently became the Special Projects Reporter at Future of Good.

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