Recently! One of my friends asked me that have I heard about the saddening news which is trending these days, “sex for rent in Canada.” So, thought of doing a bit of research on it, and subhanAllah, I realised that it is a dark symptom of a deeper disease.
In a country, as developed and resource rich as Canada, the idea that someone might have to exploit their body for a roof over their head seems unfathomable and yet, “sex for rent” is a growing and disturbing reality for many.
This term refers to situations where landlords or individuals offering housing suggest or demand sexual acts in exchange for free or reduced rent. It is a direct consequence of a system in crisis.
It is well known, Canada is in the midst of a housing emergency. Skyrocketing rents, surging home prices, and a lack of affordable options have left thousands struggling to find safe shelter.
In 2023 alone, average rents jumped by nearly 10%. Wage growth has not kept up with inflation, and many are spending over half their income just to stay housed, if they can find housing at all.
When people are desperate, the vulnerable become targets. This is the environment where predatory practices like “sex for rent” thrive.
But who gets the blame?
In public discourse, there is a growing tendency to blame immigrants for the housing crisis. This is not only misleading but dangerous as well.
While newcomers do contribute to housing demand, they are often among the most exploited by the crisis, facing discrimination and inflated rents simply because of their status.
What is often ignored is that Canada has no shortage of land or wealth. What we do have, is the absence of a systematic approach to challenge those who HOARD, be it land and wealth!
Across Canada, vast tracts of land remain undeveloped or underutilized, held by large developers, speculators, and even institutions that profit from scarcity.
At the heart of this crisis is capitalism’s transformation of basic needs into products for profit. Housing is no longer a right, it’s an asset class. Landlords keep rents high, developers build luxury units instead of affordable ones, and governments hesitate to intervene.
The rise of “sex for rent” is a symptom, not the disease. The true disease lies in a system that allows lands, and homes to be hoarded while people are being exploited. It is not immigration that created this crisis, it is inequality, speculation, and an unchecked capitalist model that sees housing not as a need, but as an opportunity for generating huge capital.
Ideally! The system should start taxing vacant properties and land hoarders, if landowners won’t build, let them pay for their obstruction. The system should rethink housing as a basic right for humans. Until shelter is commodified, the crisis and the exploitation it breeds will continue.
It is important to analyze the symptoms, and diagnose the disease, in order to find the cure of it!