U-Pass

Over the past few weeks, students returning to campus for the new school year have been faced with an unexpected inconvenience—lengthy wait times for their U-Pass. For some students, the wait time has been as long as three to four hours.

The Fulcrum investigates whether it’s worth it to bus the extra mile to save a dime Map: Reine Tejares As all broke students know, sometimes it’s worth it to put in the effort to keep within budget. Whether it’s scrolling through hundreds of posts on the “Textbook exchange” groups on Facebook to avoid spending $100 on …

Letter to the Editor

Dear Colleagues, I am in receipt of my e-bill from the University of Ottawa, which I will share: My bill for this semester is $3,410.77, including $925.40 for things I have no interest in supporting. This is a substantial amount for a Canadian student. Tuition is reasonable. The fees being grabbed for programs supported by …

OCTranspo and the Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO), have hammered out a deal that will let Gatineau-based students who study in Ottawa purchase the U-Pass. The new agreement applies to students at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, St Paul’s University, and Algonquin College, and will be in effect in September.

U-Pass fees will go up in September as the City of Ottawa approved the continuation of the universal transit program for the 2015–16 academic year and beyond. Students will pay $192.70 a semester starting in the fall, as opposed to the $188 they paid this year.

The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) and the Graduate Students Association (GSAÉD) have reopened negotiations with OC Transpo seeking to renew their contract for September 2015 and settle on a deal for a summer U-Pass.

With the fall semester approaching, issues surrounding Ottawa’s transit policy towards students are heating up. Representatives from Ottawa’s seven student associations hand-delivered letters to city councillors in July, asking them to raise the current age restriction on monthly student passes and also offer a summer U-Pass.

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