After completing a degree at Nova Scotia Community College under difficult circumstances in 2024, Maria* was forced to give up on her dream of pursuing further education. "I had to move four times in 2023, jumping from one sublet to another because it was all I could afford," she said.
After escaping a landlord's sexual advances, a violent roommate and a bad experience in residence, Maria decided to live and study in her car. "I used to wake up very early, get something to eat and then go to college. I would stay there as late as possible to put off going back to the car." She was homeless from ages 17 to 21.
Her dream of becoming a teacher was derailed by a rental market that shuts out people under 21 without a credit history or a parent to co-sign. "No one excels when they're in distress. If I had felt safe in a normal apartment, I would have done well in school for the first time in my life."
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