OC Transpo breaching U-Pass agreement with proposed fare increase, uOttawa student union says

The student union at the University of Ottawa says the City of Ottawa is in violation of an agreement made to set U-Pass price increases for students as the city seeks to increase fares across the board next year.

University of Ottawa Student Union president Delphine Robitaille says OC Transpo informed the union on Friday that it will have to increase the amount it charges students for the U-Pass by five per cent each semester.

The union says the agreement it has with the city provides for an allowable increase of 2.5 per cent per year.

The U-Pass is used by students at Carleton University, uOttawa, Algonquin College and St. Paul University. The discounted cost of the U-Pass is included in student fees.

The 2025 draft Ottawa budget shows a U-Pass increase of $11.45 to $240.52 per semester, previously $229.07.

The increase comes as the city seeks to increase fares to help address a $120 million hole in the transit budget, which includes scrapping youth monthly passes and imposing a 120 per cent increase on senior's monthly passes.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the City of Ottawa says the proposed five per cent increase to U-Pass fares is "necessary" to ensure the "long-term stability" of Ottawa's transit system.

The increases are being proposed to avoid changes to service levels, which the city says "would have a significant impact upon all transit users, including students."

"OC Transpo and City staff have been in contact with the four institutions to alert them to the draft budget provisions that would increase U-Pass prices by five per cent in 2025," said an email from the city's director of transit customer systems and planning, Pat Scrimgeour.

"OC Transpo has engaged each post-secondary institution to discuss how this variation from the agreement would be documented and agreed upon in time to brief City Council on any considerations resulting from the discussions."

The proposed changes won't take effect until council votes on the budget on Dec. 11.

Ottawa city councillor Shawn Menard called the proposed hike unfair for students.

"I just think we're putting the burden on the backs of the wrong people in this case. Students that have the U-Pass, they're already paying one of the highest, if not the highest U-Pass fare in the country and they're the ones least able to afford it," he said.

"In this case, the city is seeking approval up to five per cent, which I think institutions and the students' associations should send back to the City of Ottawa."

Meanwhile, some students say they're frustrated by the current U-Pass system, and a price increase would add insult to injury.

"I'm paying for it, and it doesn't work. I have gotten the card fixed, or at least tried to, about three or four times to no avail. It's still not working," said Sam Laginski, a student at uOttawa. "I'm having to pay on top of what I'm already paying for the u-pass, so it's kind of ridiculous if they're raising the price."

"Everything is already expensive as it is, so that's definitely frustrating," said Lily Ferrier, another uOttawa student.

OC Transpo received $38.2 million in fare revenue from U-Pass holders during the 2023-2024 academic year, according to statistics provided by the City of Ottawa

During the fall and winter semesters, there were approximately 74,500 post-secondary students in Ottawa who were eligible for and received a U-Pass.