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The Vanmates community · 1,200+ students since 2016

Not just accommodation.
A community.

Every week our residents are cooking together, exploring the city, making friends from ten different countries. Here's a little of what that looks like.

Resident stories

Before, after, and the in-between.

Long-form conversations with students who came to Canada, made Vanmates their first home, and figured out what was next.

All stories
Mexico City → Burnaby
Lucía, 19 · SFU Business
My Spanish family was nervous about me coming alone. After two weeks of Sunday dinners and Biscuit falling asleep on my feet, they stopped worrying. I called them from the couch.
6 months with the Kowalskis Read the story →
Osaka → East Vancouver
Haruto, 17
I was quiet my first week. By the second, I was teaching Mike how to make okonomiyaki.
ESL program Read →
Lyon → Kitsilano
Sophie, 22
I came for one semester at SFU. I'm staying for the full year. Vanmates was the reason.
Exchange student Read →
São Paulo → Toronto
Rafael, 24
The people I met on my first week are still my closest friends. We cook Sunday dinners together.
Co-living, The Annex Read →
Berlin → Montréal
Anna, 23
I wanted to improve my French. My homestay mom is from Quebec — within a month I was dreaming in French.
McGill exchange Read →
Upcoming events

What's happening this month.

Open to all residents and any international student who wants to join. No pressure, no cost (unless noted). Just bring yourself.

Full calendar
May05 Vancouver
Welcome dinner

Spring intake welcome dinner

New arrivals, long-timers, and Vanmates team — all cooking together at Kitsilano House. Latin American theme this month.

Sunday · 6:00 PM
Kitsilano House · Vancouver
18 going · 6 spots left
RSVP · Free
May11 Toronto
City walk

Kensington Market food tour

Wander Toronto's most delicious block with our Toronto team and 10-15 housemates. Bring cash and an empty stomach.

Saturday · 1:00 PM
Meet at Spadina & College
12 going · 3 spots left
RSVP · Pay as you eat
May18 Montréal
Language exchange

French / English conversation night

Half the room speaks English wanting to practice French. Half the room speaks French wanting to practice English. Coffee & pastries on us.

Wednesday · 7:00 PM
Café Olimpico · Plateau
15 going
RSVP · Free
May24 Vancouver
Weekend outing

Hike up Quarry Rock, Deep Cove

Easy 1-hour hike with an incredible view at the top. We carpool from the Vancouver office. Good shoes required.

Saturday · 9:30 AM
Vanmates Vancouver office
8 going · 4 spots left
RSVP · Free
Apr28 Vancouver
Cultural night

Cherry blossom picnic at Queen E

Hanami season in Vancouver. We're bringing blankets, snacks, and a playlist. You bring yourself and maybe something to share.

Sunday · 2:00 PM
Queen Elizabeth Park
22 going · Full
Fully booked
Jun02 Toronto
Skill share

Your First Canadian CV workshop

Free workshop with a Toronto career coach: how to make your CV Canadian-friendly, what hiring managers look for, LinkedIn basics for international grads.

Tuesday · 6:30 PM
88 Bloor St E · Vanmates Toronto
9 going · 16 spots
RSVP · Free
Happens every week

The rituals that keep this place alive.

Beyond one-off events, these happen on a regular schedule across all our homes. You don't need to RSVP — just show up.

Sunday dinners

Every Sunday at 6pm, each Vanmates house cooks and eats together. Someone picks a cuisine, everyone chips in. Nobody leaves hungry. It's the most reliable way to meet your housemates.

Weekly · Every house

Newcomer WhatsApp groups

City-specific groups for each intake (Spring, Fall). Run by our team but mostly used by residents to ask each other about the best phone plans, which bank to use, where to buy a winter coat.

24/7 · Per city

Monthly meetups

One Saturday a month, all residents in a city are invited to something bigger: a hike, a museum, a food tour, a cultural festival. Free or low-cost. Our Toronto team once got 40 people to a Raptors game.

Monthly · Per city
From our community

Follow along on Instagram.

Real moments from real houses. Tag us #vanmateslife to be featured.

@vanmates
Sunday dinner at Kits House · 🥟 Quarry Rock hike with the crew Welcome dinner · Spring intake CV workshop at Toronto office Cherry blossoms at Queen E 🌸 Kensington Market food tour Lucía graduates from SFU 🎓 Homestay welcome pack Jorge & the Sunday hike crew Language exchange · Café Olimpico Sakura season · 🌸 First snow for Haruto ❄️
Stay close

Not yet a resident?
Join the community anyway.

Follow us on the platforms you already use. Community WhatsApp groups, TikTok tips from our team, YouTube walkthroughs of Canadian life — no commitment required.

Instagram
@vanmates
TikTok
@vanmateslatinoamerica
YouTube
@vanmatescanada
Facebook group
Vanmates Community
Vanmates residents around a dinner table

Ready to make your own story?

The fastest way to become part of this community is to find your room. From your first Sunday dinner onward, you're in.

Find my room