And the total number of angry students is greater than the 1,300 who have registered because some have been told there is no hope of getting housing if they get added now to the list.
And off-campus housing is difficult to find, the students and parents are saying.
The crunch has arisen because the university has increased acceptances from applicants to garner more income to fund its operations.
But I think the real blame rests with Doug Ford and his government policy to reduce, then freeze tuition fees and for failing to provide adequate funding for universities and colleges. They are left scrambling to make ends meet and it's Canadian students who are suffering the most.
First-year student Morgan Woodill told CBC news that students and parents were told on university tours and via studies released by the school that housing all incoming first-year students wouldn't be an issue.
"Getting that 'we are confident we can provide housing for all students' — that was very exciting for me.
"Now I'm not sure what to do exactly."
According to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre, the University of Guelph has 7,849 confirmed offers of acceptance from students, a 52.6 per cent increase over 2023.
In anticipation of the higher enrolment, the school increased the number of residence spaces at the North, South, East and West on-campus residences, and leased out a former hotel for additional space, the university said.
It also said it would actively pursue community partnerships to house the remaining students.
A March 11 study on the university's website said it would "continue to consistently accommodate all first-year student requests while also expanding offers for international students to live in residence for the duration of their academic programs."
But now it told CBC news in Kitchener that it is getting more students than anticipated when that study was posted.
Guelph has a 1.3 per cent rental vacancy rate, one of the lowest rates in an Ontario university town, according to the most recent Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) report.
Janice Jurus is helping her daughter Paige in her apartment hunt but hasn't had any luck.
"I've contacted Solstice, which is an outside group of rentals — they're full. There's Alma, which is also another facility that's specific for students — that's full," she said. "So now we're looking at just different options."
Paige said living off campus would be scary and potentially unsafe. But she said her biggest concern would be "missing out on the residential experience for my first year."
"I feel like that's where I can make most of my friends. Pretty upsetting."
