The Carleton University Students’ Association presented its mid-year financial report, which included major losses from Ollie’s Pub and Patio, and heard a presentation from environmental organization Regenesis at its last council meeting of 2025.
Mid-year financial report
CUSA vice-president (finance), Om Maradia, presented a mid-year financial report to council indicating that Ollie’s had already lost more than double what it was expected to lose this year.
As of Oct. 31, Ollie’s had run a deficit of $87,731.
This year’s budget projected Ollie’s to lose only $40,000, which Maradia said was “highly underestimated.”
Maradia said he expected Ollie’s to lose between $260,000 and $290,000 by the end of the year. Last year, Ollie’s actual deficit was $349,000.
The budget also overestimated Ollie’s revenue, Maradia charged.
Ollie’s was projected to ring in over $700,000. Maradia said a more accurate figure is around $490,000.
“All of these mentioned inconsistencies that we have duly noted will be amended for next year’s budget,” he said. “I wasn’t part of the budget-making process for this year’s budget, but I’ll make sure that this doesn’t happen again.”
Rooster’s Coffeehouse, on the other hand, posted a profit of $9,996. The budget had projected a $20,000 deficit.
CUSA president Sean Joe-Ezigbo previously told the Charlatan that Rooster’s has increased its prices, and they are selling cheaper products from suppliers. He said the student union is trying to find ways to replicate the coffeehouse’s success at Ollie’s.
The financial report also saw CUSA cut its spending by 27 per cent since this time last year.
CUSA made just over $2.76 million in revenue and spent $1.88 million.
The difference in expenses does not mean that CUSA had a spending problem last year, Maradia said.
“Last year’s team made significant efforts in terms of reducing the deficit when it comes to previous years,” he said.
New environmental organization seeking a levy
Regenesis, a student-run environmental and sustainability organization, told council it hopes to open up a new chapter at Carleton.
Regenesis is looking to bring several sustainability-focused initiatives to Carleton’s campus, the group said, including a free thrift shop and a discounted farmers’ market.
The organization wants to collect an $8.95 levy from undergraduate students. Zaina Jabr, chapter director of Regenesis at the University of Toronto’s St. George campus, said the money would go towards salaries of part-time and full-time staff, events and marketing.
The budget proposal includes a $57,500 yearly salary for a full-time chapter director.
Michael Jodah, co-founder and co-executive director of Regensis, said this salary is aligned with roles in similar Canadian organizations.
Because it would operate as an independent chapter and not a CUSA club, Regenesis’ desired levy would have to be approved by Carleton’s ancillary fee committee.
Although Regenesis could have gone to the committee themselves, Aidan Kallioinen*, CUSA’s vice-president (student issues), said the group came to present at the council because it plans to rent space from CUSA.
“CUSA has a lot of vacant office and storage space that we pay tens of thousands of dollars to the university for use of every year that, quite frankly, just doesn’t get used,” Kallioinen said.
“One of the major benefits to CUSA … is that it could generate an estimated $30,000 a year in rental income for CUSA and help offset the cost of these spaces.”
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences councillor Mohamad El Fitori said the programs Regenesis would offer seemed similar to those that CUSA already offers or could offer, like its free breakfast initiative and the food hampers from the Unified Support Centre .
In response, Kallioinen said the Unified Support Centre has struggled to meet the growing demand of the student population. He said Regenesis could help fill in the gaps not met by the centre and bring new supports to Carleton.
Kallioinen added there is no guarantee that the initiatives he’s started this year, like the breakfast program, would continue once his term was over.
“I look for longevity,” Kallioinen said. “At the very least, the initiatives they’re proposing are sustained in the long-term because there’s an organization keeping them going.”
CUSA voted to refer Regenesis to the ancillary fees committee for approval, but they clarified this motion was not an endorsement.
“Let the students decide in a referendum in February. Let them vote whether or not they want to pay this money. That’s for the undergraduate body as a whole to decide when and if this referendum gets through,” Kallioinen said.
CUSA’s next council meeting is Jan. 26.
*Aidan Kallioinen has previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured graphic by Alisha Velji/the Charlatan
