Representatives of the six cities insist that there is no way new construction can keep pace with the growing number of students coming from abroad. In a collective statement, the cities write that the new construction targets in the National Student Housing Action Plan 2022-2030 presented in September cannot be met by most municipalities, which are also facing huge demand for housing from other sections of the community.

The six cities are asking the education minister for tools to help higher education regulate the ever-growing influx of international students. They are also looking to the housing minister to adapt the rules that govern housing valuation and rent subsidies. If rent subsidy rules are changed to include occupants of housing units that are not self contained, this will enable rents to rise and create an incentive to build this type of accommodation.