The U-Pass would provide unlimited regular usage of Edmonton Transit, St. Albert Transit, Strathcona County Transit, Spruce Grove Transit, Leduc Transit and Fort Saskatchewan Transit during the fall, winter and/or spring/summer semesters. 

The U-Pass will cost, per term:

• 2021/2022 – $180
• 2022/2023 – $180  
• 2023/2024 – $180 
• 2024/2025 – $180

This means that there would be no increase in the price of the U-Pass for the duration of the new contract and would match the price in the final year (2020/2021) of the current contract.

The U-Pass will be mandatory for credit students that have been assessed the on-campus SANQC membership fee at NorQuest, with the following exceptions:

• Mid-term Start Students – Students that have a program start date that does not align with the start date of each of the terms. 
• Online Students – Students who take all of their classes online. 

This referendum will determine whether the U-Pass program would apply only to full-time students who have paid the on-campus SANQC membership fee or if it will include part-time students who have paid the SANQC membership fee as well.

Students who take 100% of their classes online are exempt from the U-Pass program.

Students eligible for the U-Pass program who have a valid CNIB registration, DATS, SCAT or Handibus registration, work for one of the transit services, have a U-Pass from another provider or have a practicum outside of the service area for longer than eight weeks per term, will still be able to request an exemption. 

Under a new pilot program that SANQC and the transit authorities may extend, for the first year of the contract the following students will be able to request an exemption: 

Students who are seniors: NorQuest students who turn 65 or older before an academic term begins

Students on AISH: NorQuest students receiving financial assistance from AISH immediately before an academic term begins.

Long Distance Commuters: NorQuest students who commute more than 100 km each way to and from the NorQuest main campus. 

Voting Opens: 10 am on March 17

Voting Closes: 4 pm on March 18

You will receive an email in your mynorquest account with details on how to vote on March 17.

While the U-Pass program has been suspended during COVID-19, the alternative transit options that have been made available to students during this time are typically programs that post-secondary students would not qualify for.

A new contract needs to be agreed upon to have the U-Pass program in place moving forward. As has been done to this point, discussions will continue to be had around the implementation of the program depending on the safety measures in place.

Price wise, the U-Pass offers a significant discount compared to other transit options. Currently it is a 38% discount compared to the ETS Youth Pass (24 and under) and a 55% discount from the ETS Adult Pass. The U-Pass will also not increase in price throughout the lifetime of this contract.