When Julie Emeid got home after a long day on campus, she was often bracing herself for the next one. During her third year, the Toronto Metropolitan University social work student would wake up at 5 a.m. to make her 8:30 a.m. class at the downtown campus. With her return trip, Emeid could spend up to two hours commuting to her parents’ homes in Vaughan and Mississauga—cities that are part of the sprawling Greater Toronto Area. She relied on public transit and an accessible vehicle to accommodate the wheelchair she uses. But no matter the form of transportation, once home at night, Emeid says, she couldn’t avoid the calculus of how to spend what little energy she had left, often having to decide between eating, sleeping, and homework.
When Emeid was accepted into her program in 2021, living on campus was not an option she really considered. At the university, accommodation can cost up to $14,500 for an academic year. She had to choose: Pay for housing and lose money? Or live at home and lose time? The lingering risk of being exposed to COVID-19 further cemented her decision to stay home. By the end of her third year, though, the toll of commuting was catching up with her.
