THUNDER BAY -- Lakehead University students have begun voting in an online referendum that will decide the fate of their collective universal bus pass.
All undergraduate students pay $104 per year for the U-Pass as part of student fees but the Lakehead University Student Union's deal with the Thunder Bay Transit Authority is expiring in August. Under the proposed deal, rates would increase to $114 per student over the 2017-2018 school year and incrementally increase to $195 in 2021.
City transportation manager Brad Loroff said post-secondary students make up 30 per cent of local bus ridership but pay only 16 per cent of its annual revenues.
Considering it would cost every student $77 per month to purchase a bus pass without the collective deal, Loroff hopes Lakehead's student body continues to make the service available.
"I'm very hopeful the outcome of this referendum is successful and that students continue to find the program to be valuable," Loroff said.
LUSU vice president of finance and operations Farhan Yousaf is leading the "yes" campaign, encouraging students to keep the pass.
He said the program is particularly highly used among international students, graduate students and members of Fort William First Nation.
"I think it's important. It's a service a lot of students use," Yousaf said..
For the referendum to be successful, a quorum of 1,593 among Lakehead's 7,966 students would need to register votes by 11:59 p.m. on Apr. 5. Approximately 800 of those would have to vote "yes" to keep the program.
Student reaction
Kinesiology Master's student Zach Henderson walks to school but he uses the bus for grocery shopping, travel and errands.
"If this doesn't pass, we're looking at about $80 a month and that adds up over the course of a year. I have no problem paying a signficant reduced price still compared to what it would be if I had to go out and buy it."
Third-year forestry student Will Corrigan drives to school. He intends to vote against an increase.
"I think students who own a car should have a choice," he said. "I understand the cost might go up a little bit but I think personally it might be an unnecessary cost that takes money out of my pocket."
Second year Kinesiology student Katie Sinclair is also a driver but she intends to support it.
"I have a lot of friends who rely on it and at the end of the day, them paying for it separately without the school paying for it is a lot more expensive. For everyone else to chip in and help them out is not that big of a deal."
