Beijia Ge’s tasks change every hour.

The Kingston, Ont., resident may be chatting with Chinese students about their secrets and challenges, helping someone pack a suitcase or baking cakes with an elderly person.

“If you’re alone on your birthday but still want someone to sing birthday songs or take photos for you, I’m here for you. If you’re sick and need company, I’m here for you,” read Ge’s Chinese-language social media ads.

Ge, 38, is part of the Canadian companionship industry that is growing among the Chinese diaspora.

Dozens of people are offering rent-a-friend services on Xiaohongshu, a social media platform also known as Little Red Book or China’s Instagram, in cities including Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto.

Sociologists and other experts suggest that the phenomenon of paid companionship is due in part to feelings of isolation among some new immigrants.

Ge charges around $20 an hour. She’s not a professional therapist, but she’s surprised by how easily clients open up and share their vulnerabilities with her.

“One of the students felt helpless since her parents forced her to pursue a major she hated, she didn’t do well in school, and she was afraid to share her struggles with others. his parents,” Ge said in an interview in Mandarin.

She added that some conversations with her clients were very emotional.

“Companionship can help people release negative thoughts and release stress, and they don’t have to worry about being judged since I’m a foreigner,” Ge said. “It’s like writing in a diary.”

Qian Liu, an assistant professor in the sociology department at the University of Calgary, said the buddy economy is an emerging trend in China, associated with isolation and loneliness in its cities, as well as social stigmas. related to mental health in East Asia. .

Liu said Chinese immigrants “rely heavily” on Chinese social media for information. It is therefore not surprising that the same social phenomenon emerges in diaspora communities.

Liu said “loneliness, isolation and lack of a sense of belonging” are key issues in his research with Chinese-speaking immigrants.

But other factors could be the high cost of living in Canadian cities, which would encourage Chinese immigrants to get creative in making money, while some might see it as “a way to be connected to their community “.

Zed Zhipeng Gao, an assistant professor of psychology at the American University of Paris, said most people who use escort services are new immigrants who don’t have an existing social network in Canada, and that barriers linguistic or cultural differences can make their lives difficult.

Gao, who lived in Toronto for two years and Vancouver for 12 years, In Asian culture, seeking mental health counseling was associated with social stigma. Supportive services could fill the gap, he said.

“A FEELING OF EMPTY”

Carolina Hu, 37, from Richmond, British Columbia, has been providing support services for several months.

She says she is frequently hired by Chinese-speaking newcomers to explore Richmond and Vancouver to get a taste of life in Canada.

Most recently, she was hired as a shopping buddy.

Hu, who charges about $40 an hour, said newcomers may be hesitant to explore their city because of the language barrier, and that escort services “help them make a smooth transition into society.” local”.

“Many newcomers didn’t know where to find their community, but spending time with them walking around their neighborhood and sharing my immigration journey with them can bring them a sense of belonging and comfort,” said Hu in Mandarin.

The mother of two sons said she enjoys her part-time job because of its flexible schedule.

“Many immigrants feel a sense of emptiness after moving to a new country and feel very alone,” Hu said. “It is also difficult for them to share their difficulties with their old friends back in their hometown. »

Liu said that’s another factor that explains the appeal of paid companionship: Some immigrants are reluctant to complain to family and friends in their home countries, who think they’re “leading a great job.” life in Canada.

“In a sense, maybe it’s about saving face,” Liu said. “In other words, it doesn’t necessarily mean they trust strangers more than close friends and family members.”

Sharing secrets and struggles with people outside their network may not have as much impact on their daily lives and reputations, Liu said.

David Li, 24, is new to the companionship industry. Unlike Ge and Hu, he only offers one service: Li accompanies people on hikes.

“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 hike leader certification and have been to Golden Ears, Tricouni Peak, Mount MacFarlane and many other famous hiking spots in British Columbia,” reads his ads on social networks.

He offers to help her carry a backpack on hikes, but “please don’t make it ridiculously heavy.”

Li, from Richmond, British Columbia, works full time at a company that builds medical gas pipeline systems. In his spare time, he charges about $400 for eight hours of hiking.

However, he wants to be more than just a paid guide. Li said he wanted to find friends to explore nature.

“I think hiking with like-minded people is good for mental health,” Li said in an interview in Mandarin. “If customers are feeling a little emotional and alone, I hope they can feel more comforted through my business.”

As the companionship industry grows, safety issues and other concerns emerge.

Ge said she only accepted female customers for safety reasons, while Hu said she only welcomed female and family customers. Both avoid going out at night.

Li said many “scammers” contacted him through his ads.

One person who spoke to The Canadian Press about her support services declined to be named – because she feared being reported by the Canada Revenue Agency for being paid under the table.

American University’s Gao said he can see that the “multi-purpose” companionship industry serves many diverse needs, but he worries about the safety of those who provide these services.

“There is a labor issue, there is a legal issue, there is taxation, there is workplace safety,” Gao said.

He said support services cannot solve societal problems related to loneliness and that ideally the government would provide more support programs for immigrants, such as launching more associations and clubs.

Liu agreed, saying his ongoing research has found that many Mandarin-speaking immigrants in Alberta go to church to find people who share cultural roots with them — sometimes “not for religious purposes but for a feeling of community and support.”

“The problem with going to church is that there is very limited support for Chinese immigrants, especially new arrivals, in Canadian society in general.” said Liu, “That’s why they need to find support and a sense of belonging this way.”

Ge said that of all the types of companionship she offered, the most enjoyable was spending time with elderly people, because “it’s so easy to make them smile” and “they always say simple, wise words.” .

Most of the time, it is paid by their loved ones.

“I also accompanied some elderly people to their dentist appointments because their children are busy and the elderly don’t speak English,” Ge said.

But often, Ge just listens to their stories about their lives or neighborhood gossip. Sometimes they just watch TV together.

Ge has logged hundreds of hours of paid companionship with strangers since launching his business in March.

But soon she will take time off to return to China and spend more time with her own 83-year-old grandmother. They already spend hours on video calls every day, but time spent together in person is different, Ge said.

“Sometimes you settle in a place for someone you care about. For me, the most important person in the world is my grandmother, and now I just want to spend time with her,” Ge said.