2025 U-Pass Referendum

March 6, 2025

Make your voice heard! From March 17 – 19, SANQC member students can vote on the 2025 U-Pass Referendum.

Voting details and a link to cast your vote will be sent to eligible student emails on Monday, March 17. Voting will take place on the same ballot as the Students’ Council Election.

If you have any questions regarding the U-Pass Referendum, please email us at SANQCElections@norquest.ca.

2025 U-Pass Referendum Question

Do you support the continuation of the U-Pass program under the conditions below?

The Students’ Association of NorQuest College (SANQC) along with students representatives from the University of Alberta Students’ Union, the Students’ Association of MacEwan University, the NAIT Students’ Association and the Concordia Student Union have negotiated a new U-Pass contract to replace the current one, which expires August 31, 2025.

The new contract will remain with Edmonton Transit, St. Albert Transit, Strathcona County Transit, Spruce Grove Transit, Leduc Transit, Beaumont Transit and Fort Saskatchewan Transit .

Conditions:

The new U-Pass contract contains the following key conditions:

U-Pass would provide unlimited regular usage of Edmonton Transit, St. Albert Transit, Strathcona County Transit, Spruce Grove Transit, Leduc Transit, Beaumont Transit and Fort Saskatchewan Transit during the Fall, Winter and/or Spring/Summer semesters.

1: U-Pass will cost, per semester (Fall, Winter and/or Spring/Summer):

2025-2026: $180.00 per participating student per semester (no increase, same rate as previous year);
2026-2027: $182.50 per participating student per semester
2027-2028: $185.00 per participating student per semester

2: U-Pass will be mandatory for all credit, on-campus students at NorQuest, with the following exceptions:

LINC students
Students whose courses begin after the exemption deadlines
Non-credit students (For example: Continuing Education)
Students who take all of their classes online. (Note: this means there is no on-campus component such as labs, lectures, exams, etc.).

3: The following students will be able to request an exemption:

those who have a valid CNIB registration,
those who have DATS, SCAT or Handibus registration,
those who work for one of the transit services,
those who have a U-Pass from another provider
those who have a practicum outside of the service area for longer than eight weeks per semester
those who are seniors
those receiving financial assistance from AISH
Students who live greater than a 100km radius away from the NorQuest main campus where their in-person classes are delivered.

Results of a YES vote

If the majority of SANQC member students vote YES on the 2025 U-Pass Referendum, the contract will be signed and eligible NorQuest students will continue in the U-Pass program as a mandatory fee each semester.

Students who are assessed the U-Pass fee can only opt-out if they satisfy one of the opt-out options.

Results of a NO vote

If the majority of SANQC member students vote NO on the 2025 U-Pass Referendum, the contract will not be signed and the U-Pass program will be discontinued for eligible students at NorQuest.

There would be no mandatory fee and no opt-in option for any NorQuest students. Public transit tickets or passes would need to be purchased from retailers by individuals needing to use those services.