How Surrey Millennials Are Stacking Side Hustles to Outsmart Rent Hikes
With housing costs skyrocketing, young adults in Surrey are blending multiple gigs to build income resilience — and redefine modern work.
Gig Stacking: Surrey’s Bold Answer to Rent Shock
Surrey, BC – As the cost of living continues to surge across Metro Vancouver, Millennials in Surrey are pushing back with a smart, scrappy strategy: side hustle stacking. Whether it’s juggling food delivery, online tutoring, or weekend photography, young adults are creating patchwork incomes that give them just enough to hold their ground — and sometimes even get ahead.
It’s not about chasing luxury — it’s about staying afloat.
“I do Instacart runs in the morning, tutor high schoolers online in the evening, and build websites on the weekends,” says Dani Kapoor, 27, from Newton. “I don’t have a choice — rent alone eats more than half my paycheck.”
Why It’s Happening: The Reality of Surrey’s Housing Market
Rental prices in Surrey have hit eye-watering levels. Recent data from Rentals.ca shows that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom unit is now $2,235 — a near 9% jump from last year. For many Millennials and Gen Z renters, traditional full-time jobs no longer offer enough stability to survive, let alone save.
Enter side hustle stacking — the art of combining multiple income sources, both online and offline, to build a livable wage.
Common combinations seen around Surrey include:
- Rideshare driving + remote content writing
- Childcare + weekend event photography
- Pet walking + Etsy craft sales
This isn’t the old “second job.” It’s a complete rethinking of how income is earned in a high-cost economy.
Related Reading: The Rise of Micro-Influencers in Small-Town Canada
What Experts Are Saying
According to Dr. Simran Chahal, a labour trends researcher at SFU, “This isn’t just about extra money. It’s a generational shift in how people see work, autonomy, and financial control.”
She adds, “Millennials are rejecting outdated job models and building flexible ecosystems of income. But the danger is they’re doing it without the protections of traditional employment — no sick days, no benefits, no job security.”
Platforms like TaskRabbit, Fiverr, and Uber Eats have fueled this flexibility, offering on-demand earning opportunities. But many workers admit that managing multiple gigs often leads to exhaustion.
The Emotional Drivers Behind the Stack
For many young people in Surrey, side hustling isn’t just about cash flow. It’s also a form of economic empowerment in a market that often feels rigged against them.
“My parents had one job and bought a house by 30,” says Lena Torres, a 29-year-old freelance designer. “I have three jobs and can barely afford rent. But at least I have control. That matters.”
Some key reasons people are turning to side hustle stacking:
- Greater autonomy over work schedules
- Ability to pursue creative or personal goals
- A way to offset student debt or rising costs without career stagnation
But even as the model grows in popularity, it raises big questions about sustainability.
What’s Next: Can the System Catch Up?
Cities like Surrey are beginning to respond with programs to support gig workers — including co-working spaces, micro-grants for small digital businesses, and housing policy reviews. But broader action is still needed.
Dr. Chahal warns: “Side hustle stacking is a smart short-term fix, but it’s not a substitute for systemic wage reform or housing affordability. We can’t expect resilience to do all the work.”
Still, many young workers remain hopeful. As the economy shifts, their creativity and adaptability may hold the blueprint for the future of work — one gig at a time.
