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Ten post-secondary institutions in Metro Vancouver have agreed to continue the U-Pass BC program for the next five years.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
U-Pass BC program renewed until 2025
By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Published 3:20 PST, Thu January 30, 2020
Last Updated: 2:13 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021
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There’s good news for the many post-secondary students whose only viable way to campus is on transit.
Students from 10 Metro Vancouver public universities and colleges have voted to extend the U-Pass BC program for five years, according to a Transportation Ministry release.
The U-Pass BC program began in 2010. It is a partnership between the province, TransLink, and participating post-secondary institutions and their student associations. With a U-Pass, students tap their card, which can be reloaded monthly, to travel by bus, SeaBus and SkyTrain. They also receive discounts on the West Coast Express.
The U-Pass costs $41 per month and covers travel in all zones. In comparison, a one zone monthly pass on a regular adult Compass Card costs $98. Two and three zone passes are $131 and $177 respectively.
A current Langara College student, who lives in Richmond, spoke on the program.
“I think it’s good for students who use it. Most of my friends use transit to get to school, so they use their U-Pass,” Athina Nourali said.
Local post-secondary institutions that use the U-Pass BC program include:
• University of British Columbia
• Simon Fraser University
• Capilano University
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University
• Langara College
• Douglas College
• Vancouver Community College, including the Native Education College
• Emily Carr University of Art and Design
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (Burnaby Campus) and
• British Columbia Institute of Technology.
In 2019, student associations at these institutions voted on the five-year extension of the U-Pass BC program. All 10 schools passed the referendum with sweeping support.
The cost of the U-Pass BC rate will increase to $42.50 on May 1. There will be further annual increases from then until May 2024, when the rate will be $46 per month. It will remain at this cost until the five-year agreement ends on April 30, 2025.
In 2018, U-Pass BC students took a combined 35 million TransLink trips, about 13 per cent of TransLink’s total journeys.
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