Ottawa U-Pass could see 20% hike

A group of Ottawa university students caused a stir at transit committee as the city plans to raise the cost of the university bus pass.

OC Transpo wants to hike the cost of the mandatory student U-Pass from $145 to $180 per semester, which is included in a student's tuition. That fee was instituted at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year when the pass was first introduced.

Student representatives from the University of Ottawa and Carleton University said they would have a difficult time selling the increase to their students.

They also expected the issue will go to another student referendum and the U-Pass could be taken off the table.

The mandatory bus pass has been cause for debate since its inception.

There has been an issue over the illegal resale of the bus pass, as a CBC investigation discovered in May. That became an issue after some students, who either bike or walk to campus, complained about what they called an unnecessary fee.

Some University of Ottawa students even tried to sue their student union after the U-Pass was instituted.