Housing & Accommodations

Hello 2028s! The content on this page is informed by the experiences of the Lakeridge Class of 2027. We hope you'll find this helpful.

Along with figuring out how you’re going to fund your medical education, finding a place in Oshawa/Durham to call home is another big (but exciting!) item on your to-do list. This is especially true if you don’t know anyone in the area, or are attempting to arrange housing from across the country. Your best bet is to start looking early. 

The Lakeridge class of 2027 will create a Facebook group and Discord channel for you to ask about miscellaneous things, including available housing, furniture, and roommate searches. It's also a great place to meet your classmates who may be looking for a place to live.

Helpful Links 

General Tips

  • Don't worry. There are plenty of apartments, rooms, and houses in Oshawa and the surrounding Durham region. It is advantageous to start looking early, as the process from comparing your available options to signing the lease can take a few weeks. But don't feel like you need to book a trip to Oshawa the day after you receive your offer of admission or rent the first place that you see.
    • Class of 2027: some students started looking in May, and others later in July, and both were able to find great options.
    • Property Management Companies: a large number of the properties in Oshawa are owned by property management companies. These companies don't always list their places on Padmapper/Kijiji, so be sure to check their websites. Additionally, prices and quality vary across and within companies so be sure to do your homework. Companies we recommend checking out include: COGIR, PRISM Property for Bond, and KHANNA Groups.
    • Get a Realtor: getting a realtor can be very helpful, as they may know things that other people don't know (e.g. what different neighborhoods are like). They can make the process feel smoother by helping with paperwork, negotiating with the renter etc. Also, there are places that require you to have a realtor for you to come see the unit/sign the lease. 
      • Some students found realtors at Re/Max Jazz Incorporated.
  • Lease terms: generally, leases available after May are 12 month leases. Keep in mind that if you come to view places in May or June the places being shown will probably have June, July, August start dates. If you come in June or July, the places will probably have July, August or September start dates. 
    • Class of 2027: most students who signed leases, signed 12 month leases that started in July, August, or September. A couple of students signed 2 year leases. 
    • During your pre-clerkship years (year 1 & 2), you will go to school from Sept. to end of May. During your clerkship years, you will go to school from Sept. of year 3 to May of year 4. 
  • Distance to Lakeridge Campus: some students live within a 15 minute walk or 10 minute drive to school. Other students live in nearby Durham cities (e.g. Ajax), which is a 20-30 minute drive. Several students in the Class of 2027 commute from Toronto, which can take anywhere from 45-90 minutes. Regardless of the distance, we're all able to make it work!
    • Class of 2027: currently there is no Lakeridge student hub, but a handful of students live in the rental buildings on Bond St. Of note, these buildings have 1 bedroom units at ~$2k/month
    • Other neighborhoods we recommend include:
      • Mary and Bond: has a safe, student residence vibe.
      • Taunton and Ritson: close to grocery stores, gyms
      • North Oshawa: newer developments, lots of students in the area (Durham College), families, restaurants, close to Costco and Freshco
    • Neighborhoods to take note of:
      • King and Centre is a louder/busier area.
  • Internet Companies: 
    • 80 Bond St units: Bell (Wifi and TV) comes with the building/lease
    • Other companies used by students include Fido, Rogers, and Virgin through Bell Fibe.
  • Utilities: the utilities contact in Oshawa is Oshawa Power. Call them at (905) 723-4623 to inquire about the average utility bill at the place you're looking at.