U-Pass BC Details for Fall 2020
The U-Pass BC program provides ECSU members (Emily Carr University students) with unlimited access to conventional transit in the Metro Vancouver region. Following the temporary suspension of the U-Pass BC program for the summer term, we continued to work with TransLink, public post-secondary institutions and student associations across Metro Vancouver, and the Province of British Columbia to find a solution for the fall term.
After careful consideration and extensive discussion, we can now share that the U-Pass BC program will resume at Emily Carr University starting on September 1, 2020.
The U-Pass BC program is structured as a universal and mandatory program for students at participating public post-secondary institutions, and it is this universal model that makes the affordability of the U-Pass BC program possible. For students who rely on the U-Pass BC program, this means savings of up to $538 on transit passes every semester.
U-Pass BC fees for the fall term have been assessed to all students enrolled in classes. Students intending to use their U-Pass BC can now visit TransLink’s U-Pass BC website to request their September pass and use their U-Pass BC starting on September 1st.
The Emily Carr Students’ Union also knows that not all students will be living in Metro Vancouver during their studies, especially where they are participating only in online learning. For that reason, we have worked with TransLink to confirm that students who are out of town and are not required to conduct their courses on-campus will be ineligible for the program and will be able to apply through Emily Carr University to have the fee credited back to their student account. This consideration continues to be fair for those students for whom it would be impossible to benefit from the U-Pass BC program. We will be sharing more details on this process in the coming week on this website.
*Please note that if you intend to apply for an exemption due to being outside of Metro Vancouver, we recommend that you do not request or load your U-Pass BC onto your Compass Card through the U-Pass BC website, as this may result in one or more months of the U-Pass BC fee being non-refundable.
We understand that some students will have concerns about the resumption of the U-Pass BC program, given the unprecedented public health situation. We know that students don’t only use the U-Pass BC to travel to and from campus, but also to visit with friends and family, commute to and from work, buy groceries, and for other travel around the region. We have carefully considered the concerns that have been raised with us in recent months, the significant transit savings that the program provides and the overwhelming support from the U-Pass BC referendum in Fall 2019 for a long-term, sustainable program.
Certain students will continue to be exempt from the U-Pass BC program, including students with disabilities that preclude the use of conventional transit or HandyDART services, students who hold another transit pass for the entire term, or students who have a valid U-Pass BC from another post-secondary institution.
We understand that this is a difficult time for a lot of students and many of you are in difficult financial positions. The university has compiled a list of financial resources for students that you can visit here: https://www.ecuad.ca/covid19/financial-assistance The ECSU will continue to support students who need guidance in navigating financial assistance and understanding what you have access to.
If you’d like to share your thoughts about the U-Pass BC program, we encourage you to continue providing us with your perspectives by contacting us at info@ecsu.ca
Key Points:
The U-Pass BC program will be back as of September 1st
You are ineligible for the program if you are a student who is residing outside of the Metro Vancouver area and are not required to conduct your courses on-campus.
If you are ineligible and wish to receive a credit for the fee do not request a U-Pass BC from TransLink’s website
If you wish to use the program, you can request a U-Pass BC at https://upassbc.translink.ca/ as usual
We are currently establishing the process for removing ineligible students who are not in the region -- more information on that will be sent out by email.
