Ottawa’s transit committee voted Nov. 6 in favour of subsidizing a universal bus pass for post-secondary students. This U-Pass, as it would be called, would give all full-time students in the city access to the entire OC Transpo system for $145 per semester. This was an exciting offer that most student leaders were happy to report back to their constituents.
But now, not even a month later, the city’s audit, budget and finance committee is advising councillors to adopt an entirely different transit proposal that deserves an outcry from students. The committee recommended Nov. 26 that city council ignore support for a U-Pass and instead raise fares and reduce service in order to shield property owners from steep tax hikes in the following year.
For most students, and many other transit users who do not pay property taxes, this is a lousy deal; it would cost, not save, them money. And reduced service would surely cause inconveniences. Why should this segment of the city’s population take a hit for the sake of homeowners?
Furthermore, transit fare increases and service reductions do nothing to discourage driving or encourage transit use. The city should have a more progressive agenda in mind, one that takes pollution and congestion issues seriously.
The audit, budget and finance committee has backward priorities and its proposal will unfairly disadvantage residents who do not own property. Students should tell councillors this is not the move to make.