Ottawa city council voted unanimously Jan. 25 to continue the U-Pass program beyond 2015-16.
Students at Carleton, the University of Ottawa, Saint Paul University, and Algonquin College will pay $192.70 each semester in 2015-16 for access to OC Transpo services—a 2.5 per cent increase from this year’s fee.
The motion also stated U-Pass fees for subsequent years may only increase by a maximum 2.5 per cent annually.
Folarin Odunayo, president of the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), said the raise is allowed under the current Carleton U-Pass referendum, negotiated in 2010. He said he supports the capping of the increase at 2.5 per cent, and any changes that make students pay less money.
Starting September, Algonquin College will become the fourth post-secondary institution in Ottawa to participate in the program.
Mayor Jim Watson said the school’s decision to participate in the program was “an overwhelming endorsement of the U-Pass.”
“We have four of the five post-secondary institutions who are using the U-Pass, which gives a significant discount to those people who use the bus at those institutions,” Watson said.
According to the motion, the U-Pass program can be expanded at Algonquin College to also include spring and summer students enrolled in full-time courses.
Coun. Mathieu Fleury said he hopes council “can continue the conversation regarding the U-Pass for summer students.”
“We have students that continue a full course load over the summer months and they want to see the U-Pass continue over that period,” Fleury said.
Carleton’s participation in the U-Pass program currently only extends to the fall and winter semesters.
The Carleton administration, Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), and CUSA are still negotiating changes to the U-Pass with the city.
GSA president Christina Muehlberger and Odunayo have both voiced their support for a summer U-Pass.
Students at Carleton and have participated in the U-Pass program since 2010, however, the GSA and CUSA would like to see changes.
“Right now, if we have issues or complaints, there’s no avenue for us to take that up with the city. We want to build that component in,” Odunayo said.
