Students at Lakehead University in Orillia are going to have dig deeper to ride the bus.
On Monday, council committee endorsed an agreement struck between the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) and the municipality that will see the students’ fee for their universal bus pass increase by 25 per cent over the next five years.
Since 2011, the city has had an agreement with LUSU through which students pay a fee that is included with their tuition in exchange for their student identification serving as an unlimited bus pass to ride Orillia Transit.
The current fee is $110 per student. That fee will jump to $114.50 in the first year of the agreement and increase five per cent per year for the remaining four years.
“The five-year agreement secures payment by all students enrolled at Lakehead University and provides significant ridership which contributes additional funding through the dedicated gas tax funding,” said a report tabled for city councillors.
The new pact also “provides a long-term community partnership between Lakehead University and the city’s transit service.”
Based on the current number of students at Lakehead, the revenue is expected to be approximately $129,000 in 2019, staff estimate.
If there was no agreement, students at Lakehead would need to buy a monthly bus pass ($53) or pay the cash fare of $2.25 per trip.
The fee paid for the universal bus pass applies to all students enrolled at Lakehead University.
“It is unknown how many students would pay cash fares or purchase monthly passes if the agreement and fee are not in place, resulting in a greater financial risk” to the city, the report stated.
This year, the city added a sixth transit route to help accommodate Lakehead students. Students applauded the decision even though many were infuriated when it was decided the second route would not enter the campus and there have been concerns over where that bus stops to pick up and drop off students.
That matter has been discussed at the city’s transit advisory council.
The five-year agreement, if ratified at Thursday night’s council meeting, expires August 31, 2023.
