Students at Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) will soon get to vote on whether or not to keep the universal transit pass that’s included in their student fees.
It’s called the U-Pass and it costs students $113 per term – but all full-time Laurier students have to pay up whether they use public transit or not.
The U-Pass is good for unlimited trips on all Grand River Transit (GRT) buses and LRT routes.
Next week, students will decide its fate in a referendum.
“I think it definitely should be kept in the student fees. I know so many people who use it,” student Millie Kusi-Acquah told CTV News.
The region said the regular GRT alternative, an adult monthly pass, would cost triple the amount at $360 per term/$90 per month.
Some students said they want to save money where they can.
“Students should understand what the cost of the fee per term would be, and decide if they would use the U-Pass enough to make paying the fee worthwhile," said Shane Symington, president of the student union.
“It adds up a lot too because it’s like $3 per ride so if you use it frequently it really adds up, so I think the school should keep it,” said another student.
The outcome of the referendum could also have a big impact on the Region of Waterloo.
The region said if the U-Pass program is cancelled, the region could lose over $2 million in revenue in 2024.
The vote will take place between Jan. 24 and Jan. 26.
