In a statement issued on Twitter yesterday, Grand River Transit (GRT) announced a planned increase in bus fare prices starting July 1, which was approved during the 2023 budget process. For full-time UW students, the U-Pass, included as a line item in tuition fees, will now cost $113.30 per academic year instead of $107.61.
The U-Pass fare change is one that 2B honours science student Hamna Pannu calls “kind of absurd” since students already shoulder hefty costs in other areas such as tuition and rent which they often can’t work full-time to afford. “We’re already paying a lot more for tuition compared to friends that I have going to other universities, for example, McMaster or [Toronto Metropolitan University], and just even this small increase, I think it’s like a lot that burdens the students,” she said.
Others, like 2A Math student Frank Bo, said that the subtle change in price didn’t bother them. “I never care about that, [I] just don’t think about it,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
Other changes in GRT’s planned price hike include increases in cash fares, as well as single tickets and transfers, which will rise from $3.50 to $3.75. Multi-ride fare will increase from $3.25 to $3.50 and monthly passes will change from $90 to $92. Those approved for GRT’S Affordable Transit program will now pay $1.55 instead of $1.52 for stored value payments and $47.84 instead of $46.80 for monthly passes.
A full list on the bus fare increases is available on the GRT website.
