Bow Valley College is proud to announce it is the first post-secondary institution in Alberta to partner with SpacesShared to provide additional options for student housing.

Students searching for a safe and affordable place to live can now turn to the online homesharing platform that matches students with Canadians with spare bedrooms to rent.

“The search for housing can be overwhelming for students busy preparing for their academic journey and managing financial pressures,” says Lynn Connell, Vice President, Learner Experience at Bow Valley College. “This innovative service gives them a unique opportunity to match with a host that suits them while also enriching that host’s life.”

“We are incredibly excited to expand our presence in Alberta through this partnership with Bow Valley College as we continue to build a supportive community for students and hosts alike,” shares Rylan Kinnon, Co-founder and CEO of SpacesShared. “Our matching platform has already inspired many success stories, demonstrating its value in reducing social isolation through building meaningful connections.”

“Safety is one of our top priorities because the feeling of security is essential for a successful homesharing arrangement,” shares Jackie Tanner, Co-founder and CXO at SpacesShared. “Our platform manages the entire process, from listing property details and facilitating communication between students and hosts to drafting contracts and processing payments. Our customer success team also conducts monthly surveys to ensure satisfaction among our homesharing partners.”

As a standard practice, SpacesShared verifies the identity of each host, their home address, and confirms that the host lives in the home. The SpacesShared team conducts a criminal background check on each host before the homesharing agreement is finalized. The platform also facilitates video meetings between the host and the student prior to agreement signing, to ensure the match will be a good fit.

Hosts with a spare room could earn extra income while providing a student with a safe, reliable and comfortable place to stay during their studies. This homeshare option also fosters a positive way to build intergenerational relationships.

“We believe in removing barriers and providing opportunities for our students, so they have a successful and memorable time at the college. We hope this collaboration with SpacesShared will add to that experience,” says Connell.

Become a host: 

Bow Valley College and SpacesShared invite people who are interested in becoming hosts or seeking more information to visit www.spacesshared.ca or www.bowvalleycollege.ca

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About Bow Valley College

Bow Valley College is the largest college in the Calgary area, with over 15,000 students. We open doors to in-demand jobs across Canada. Our graduates contribute to the economy and community through careers in business, entertainment arts, technology, health care, social services, and more. We are proud to be named one of Alberta’s Top 80 employers and one of Canada’s Top 50 research colleges. Our innovative applied research, focused on health and health technology, educational technology, and social innovation, is helping shape the future of college education. Learn more about the opportunities we create for students, employees, and our province at bowvalleycollege.ca.

About SpacesShared

SpacesShared is a homesharing technology platform that empowers two key groups to meet each other: Canadians with spare bedrooms, and students. Launched in 2023, SpacesShared is responding to the Canadian housing crisis with a solution that prioritizes connection, comfort, and community. Students looking for a safe, affordable place to stay can now quickly and affordably connect with hosts who would like some extra income, help around the house, and an opportunity to give back. The platform is entirely self-contained from application, to agreement, rent and relationship management on its website. It’s a new way to honour an old tradition: opening homes to people and experiences that enrich lives and communities.  For more information about homesharing through SpacesShared, or to register for a free account as a host or a student, visit spacesshared.ca.