Some Bow Valley College (BVC) students are sounding the alarm about the cost of a student transit pass compared to other post-secondary institutions in Calgary.
In a post on X, one student shared screenshots that show the cost of a fall semester Calgary Transit UPass at BVC costs $299, more than a $100 higher than other schools in the city.
The same UPass costs $170 at UCalgary, Mount Royal University, SAIT, Alberta University of the Arts and St. Mary’s University.
CityNews spoke with one BVC student who says she refused to pay for a UPass this year, adding it’s cheaper for her to pay the daily fare then it is to pay for the entire semester.
“I’m a student, I live alone, and I take out loans and all of that, so it’s definitely in my favour to just keep buying the tickets,” she says.
Calgary Transit says the reason for the difference in price is simple — Bow Valley College is not a part of the traditional UPass program available for post-secondary students at the other five major schools.
Instead, BVC joined a pilot program in the spring of 2022, which runs until August 2025.
“Like the other five schools, BVC includes the cost of a UPass in its non-instructional fees for eligible students, however, unlike the other schools, the fee at BVC is not mandatory,” reads a statement from Calgary Transit. “Students can choose to participate, which requires a different revenue model.”
Calgary Transit and Bow Valley College both confirm they are currently discussing BVC’s potential transition to the traditional, mandatory fee UPass program.