Canada’s leading provider of health insurance for international students, guard.me, today announced a partnership with SpacesShared, a new and innovative intergenerational homesharing platform, as a solution to Canada’s growing challenges in supplying safe, affordable student housing.

“Our purpose is to help make a difference in people’s lives — a value we share with SpacesShared,” said Keith Segal, President and Global CEO of guard.me. “We hear from our partners and the students we support about the need for more safe and affordable housing options, so when we learned about SpacesShared, we knew we wanted to be involved. Because this project also provides a new way for older adults to age in place, it is truly a win-win for Canada.”

SpacesShared works to unlock existing housing supply by making it safe and easy for older adults with spare bedrooms to share their homes with students. SpacesShared creates a listing of accommodations, vets each potential host and tenant and gives ongoing support to make sure the homesharing experience always stays positive for all involved.

This collaboration will see guard.me and SpacesShared carry out research on issues in student and older adult housing, as well as co-developing new products that complement each company’s existing offerings. Through the investment, SpacesShared will expand its team and enhance its technology to advance its mission across Canada.

“From our first host to our most recent, we have been so encouraged and humbled by the growing community response – from hosts who understand the challenges students face in accessing safe and affordable housing, and from students who understand the value and opportunity that comes from living and learning from an older adult,” said Rylan Kinnon, CEO and co-founder of SpacesShared.

“Guard.me’s reputation as a collaborative partner and problem solver in the postsecondary sector makes them a natural partner for us as we expand and enhance our platform to be as safe and sustainable as possible.”

In the coming months, guard.me and SpacesShared will make sure that any postsecondary school in Canada interested in launching the SpacesShared platform in their community has the opportunity to do so with trust and confidence. If you’re an older homeowner with extra space, visit spacesshared.ca to see if it is a good fit for you.