Canada Homestay Network

Our first experience with this company and it's pretty safe to say that we will be looking elsewhere next time. The experience began when we first lost connection with "Gale", our Homestay coordinator. After multiple attempts, we were able to contact her through her husband's number. Might I add that one of the numbers provided for her did not have a personal voicemail message connected to it and one was deemed "not in service", those coupled with the sudden drop of communication with both "Gale" and the family attached to the student we had been matched with lead to a small investigation of fraud. Finally we were given the date, time, and place of pickup. Fast-forward to the last week with our Homestay student. "Gale" asks us if we want to host a student for August to which we decline due to other plans. Suddenly a whole one day later, we are contacted by a family who claims they've been matched with us to send their kid in August! Multiple failed attempts to contact "Gale" later, and we're now worried since we have not been given the time for drop-off either. Finally we get in touch with her assistant who tells us the email for drop-off times was sent out days ago as a mass-email. Being as we used to be a part of the group that received these emails, we could only conclude that "Gale" had removed us from communication out of passive-aggressive spite in not hosting a student in August and calling her out for the extremely poor administrative and coordination skills. Might I add that the result of missing drop-off would be to drive the student all the way to Toronto yourself in time for their flight. In conclusion, if you dare attempt to use this company to host an exchange student, I warn all of you whom reside in Ontario, you're certain to cross paths with this "Gale". If you make her mad, you may just find yourself wasting gas you don't have to get your exchange student back to the airport after finding out she removed you from the mailing list and blacklisted your number!

I have been hosting students for Canada Homestay for the last few years. I have hosted students from Italy, Canary Islands,Denmark, Turkey and currently China and Mexico. This has been a wonderful experience for me and I have learned so much from all these wonderful girls. I am still in touch with all of them. I have found Homestay to be supportive when I am unsure or have questions about something. It has been an awesome experience that I would recommend to anyone who is thinking of hosting. Vicki Tait

A great opportunity for your children to learn about sharing, respecting, welcoming someone and learning about the world and people and what makes life beautiful. At the same time, creating memories and building an extended adoptive family across other countries! I believe, I have given to my son values and experiences that money does not buy. He has built great friendships with the students we hosted for several years in our home. He is an adult and I see the positive results of this hosting experience.

I have been in Canada for 4 years, the experience in the Canada homestay network is my most awful experience in Canada. My host family treated me terrible. She insulted me, called me stupid and lie to the relationship manager. The local relationship manager were doing nothing, because she need to corporate with the host family for long-term. I am just a temporary visitor, my feeling is not important at all. This is the most disgusting experience I have ever met in my life. International students deserve to feel comfortable and supported because we paid for these service. Canada is a friendly and attractive country, but those people are ruining Canadian reputation. BTW, if the local relationship manager does not doing her job, there is no way to contact with a higher supervisor or complaints. There is no way to protect your right through this agent.

expectations: having the opportunity to be immersed in the Canadian culture and the English language. reality: living with other people and just existing. if unfortunate, getting stressed over your host family that do not allow you to do certain things you need to. (e.g., turning the heater on when you're freaking cold) results: I'm moving

I had a toxic experience with my host family (just one person tho) and I’m leaving soon!!!! If you get fuxking paid then expect us to use some hydro jeez!!! Also stop fuxking assuming things and telling us to do or not to do something because you think we did something wrong when in fact we did not!!!! I’ve never met such a horrible, passive-aggressive person in my life!!! After I leave the fuxk outta here I would never ever get in touch with you EVER AGAIN!!!

I'm currently with a host family. The host is extremely passive aggressive and obsessed with money. She is unclear with rules and gets very mad and yells at me when I make any sort of mistake. She only allows me to eat cheap bread and cheese sandwiches for lunch which is insane because I'm paying for a full meal plan. She also doesn't allow me to have friends in my room or let my boyfriend visit. Do not use this network.

Ok, I've been to Calgary, Victoria, and. I've got to say This Homestay organization is the worst of em all. which doesn't add up since they charged highest price compared to one in Victoria and Calgary. My host family here is new to the game, in the first 6 month they behave really well and respect me, but after they learned some facts about this Homestay Network. That the local agents (relationship manager) does not care about the student well-being, a complain email take weeks to be reply by only one sentence. My host family started to take advantage of it. They would not allow me to take showers for more than 5 minutes, makes me non-nutritious food for dinner and lunch which contains 0% vegetables. and doesn't allow me to do laundry. And the worst part is I don't even blame them, It's traveling somewhere where there is no law. of course someone's going to commit a crime if there's no punishment. The way how they managed this organization is terrible, there are no specific rules that family has to follow. I really hate to say this but the only thing they care about is how to make more money of international students. The only reason I'm writing this is because I am going to leave soon, and for all the parents reading this If you want your child to have a good experience in Canada please considered dormitories or condo or any Private Residence. Trust me these homestays are not going to make your experience any better, in the matter of facts most of them doesn't even speak English I doubt that They would pass the IELTS test.