The rent-a-friend industry is booming among Canada’s Chinese diaspora

Beijia Ge poses in this undated handout photo. Ge is part of Canada's hidden companionship economy that is growing among the Chinese-speaking diaspora. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Vivi HsiaoThe Kingston, Ont., resident might be chatting with Chinese students about their secrets and challenges, or helping someone pack a suitcase, or baking cakes with a senior citizen.“If you are alone on your birthday but still want someone to sing birthday songs or take photos for you, I am here for you.

Qian Liu, an assistant professor in the department of sociology at the University of Calgary, said the companionship economy has been an emerging trend in China, associated with isolation and loneliness in its cities, as well as social stigmas attached to mental health in East Asia. Zed Zhipeng Gao, an assistant professor of psychology at the American University of Paris, said most people who use companionship services are new immigrants who don’t have an existing social network in Canada, and linguistic or cultural barriers can make their lives difficult.

Liu said this was another factor in the appeal of paid companionship -- some immigrants feel reluctant to complain to family and friends in home countries who think they are “having great lives in Canada.” “Personal introduction: I am a Leo man, I am five-feet and 10-inches tall and my weight is 85 kilograms. I hold a field leader hike certification, and I have been to Golden Ears, Tricouni Peak, Mount MacFarlane, and many other famous hiking spots in B.C.,” his social media ads read.Li, from Richmond, B.C., has a full-time job with a company that builds medical gas pipeline systems. In his spare time, he charges about $400 for eight hours of hiking.

Liu agreed, saying her ongoing research had found many Mandarin-speaking immigrants in Alberta went to a church to find people who shared cultural roots with them -- sometimes “not for religious purposes but for a sense of community and support.”

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