What is the difference between a 19-year-old student and a 23-year-old student?
This is the question that the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), and the rest of the Ottawa Student Transit Coalition have been asking the City of Ottawa all summer—thus far not one city councillor has been able to give a viable answer.
Since September 2012, Ottawa students over the age of 19 have been paying an adult fare, which ranged from $96.25 to $98.75 for monthly OC Transpo bus passes, while their younger classmates have been paying the “student” monthly rate ranging from $75 to $78.75. This change was implemented following a motion concerning the new PRESTO pass.
The new student age cap was not highlighted in the report for the motion, and the students’ associations were not consulted on any impending changes.
Once in effect, the change was initially opposed by the Algonquin College Students’ Association who presented the Transit Commission with a petition of 10,000 signatures. This is over four times the amount of signatures presented to council in the 2008-2009 fiscal year when the city passed a student age cap of 27—this age cap was successfully reversed months later after community and student pressure.
In her letter, Transit Commission chair Diane Deans emphasized the city’s “strong commitment of the Transit Commission and OC Transpo to work with local colleges, universities, and other educational institutions.” This is exactly the opposite of what the city did and continues to do.
If such a statement were true, it wouldn’t have taken nearly two months to set up a meeting with Councillor Deans and Mayor Jim Watson.
Deans also pointed to other municipalities that operate with similar age caps, yet failed to mention that some of those municipalities continue to offer discounted rates for their post-secondary riders.
Deans suggested colleges join the mandatory U-Pass program from September through April, a solution that is extremely beneficial for the city.
With approximately 55,000 students currently enrolled in the program at just over $360 per academic year, the city already receives nearly $20 million as a guaranteed revenue stream from post-secondary students, and if colleges were to join, that amount would exceed $30 million per year.
The U-Pass is not available during the summer months and every full-time student is automatically charged for it during the academic year.
In past years, the city has been reluctant to work out a plan for students to be able to opt out of the service even though there is demand for this option on campus.
In its first year, the U-Pass was $145 per semester. Since then it has increased in price despite cuts to Carleton specific service, namely route 117.
Deans continues to point to the $2.9-million revenue shortfall that would result from removing the age cap, yet has not provided students with any financial statements backing this claim.
Having to introduce a revenue stream of $2.9 million in one fare category would imply that the city has incurred additional operating costs, or is funnelling revenue into its various expansion projects—projects that the city ensured students would not feel the financial burden of.
This is not an issue of creating a new pass at the expense of the city, it is an issue of reinstating what was unilaterally revoked from students.
Most students would likely argue against Deans’ claim that OC Transpo is among the best transit systems in North America, but that is not to say that this potential does not exist.
With the vast majority of post-secondary students relying on public transportation, OC Transpo would be wise to invest their money into ridership retention because student status is only temporary and people are more likely to continue to use a service if it is affordable and efficient.
CUSA and the GSA are committed to making student issues a priority at the municipal level of government and will continue to work towards a positive outcome in regards to the age cap—a student is a student regardless of their age.
—Gina Parker
vice-president (student issues), CUSA
