The university student bus pass program is in danger of being scrapped, a move that would lead to more pollution, more road repairs and more congestion in the downtown core, say Centretown community activists.
The Universal Student Pass, called the U-Pass, was a citywide pilot project that began in September and ends in April, pending a review by city council.
“We are hoping that the council as a whole will see the benefits of the project and acknowledge the benefits in terms of long-term planning,” says Dalhousie Community Association member Phil Robinson, who has done extensive research on the subject.
Robinson says he hopes city officials will discuss using a “triple bottom approach,” meaning they would not only consider economic sustainability for OC Transpo but also social sustainability and environmental sustainability of the U-Pass.
According to Robinson, the numbers show Carleton University alone has seen a 12 per cent decrease in car use since the introduction of the U-Pass, measuring out to 7,000 fewer car trips.
“If you have 7,000 fewer car trips by students every day, that reduces greenhouse gases, it reduces road maintenance, it decreases congestion,” Robinson argues.
Both the Dalhousie Community Association and the Centretown Citizens Community Association have passed motions to support a renewal of the U-Pass.
The associations have a major backer at city hall.
“I believe very strongly that this is the way to go for university students to give all students access to the city by using their passes,” says Somerset Coun. Diane Holmes.
“It costs money, but transportation costs money whether we are building more roads, which is the most expensive way. Transit is much cheaper.”
Holmes says her main concern is the possible fee hike which may result from the council’s discussion with OC Transpo.
Kelly Black, a Carleton graduate student who helped push for the U-Pass last year, says a hike in price would result in no U-Pass for Carleton next year.
“Students have voted for a $145 U-Pass, they didn’t vote for a $155 U-Pass, so if city council were to increase it, we couldn’t go along with it unless we had a referendum,” Black says.
The time needed for a referendum has already passed for next year, he says.
According to Black, OC Transpo officials will be asking for a price hike because their numbers show the U-Pass is not revenue neutral.
This is based on financial numbers from the revenue of the U-Pass versus the cost of service, he says.
Again, Black brought up the “triple bottom approach”, saying U-Pass advocates include social and environmental factors in their value calculations.
Black says he will be one of the students arguing at city council for them to keep the cost of the U-Pass at $145 per semester, for at least one more year.
Holmes says she understands the referendum issue for universities, and suggests a possible alternative.
“Maybe if we can get through a motion there will be an inflationary increase on the pass, then you pass it once and it does you for 10 years,” Holmes says.
City council will likely be discussing these alternatives after the budget comes out within the next month.