Calgary Council: UPass Hike Sparks Student Outrage

CALGARY — University of Calgary students just got hit with a $10 annual UPass increase, and they can thank City Council for pulling the rug out from under a planned fare freeze last December.

The damage: $5 more per term starting in 2026. It's not optional. The UPass is a mandatory fee baked into every student's bill, courtesy of a deal between the Students' Union (SU), the Graduate Students' Association (GSA), and Calgary Transit. The University's Board of Governors rubber-stamps it after the Tuition and Fees Consultation Committee weighs in.

The Money Grab

Council folded the fare hike into Budget 2026, betting the extra squeeze would pull in $4 million annually for Calgary Transit. The agency's operating budget now sits at $417 million, with an extra $14 million earmarked for the RouteAhead strategy—transit's plan to actually show up on time more often.

Regular riders aren't getting off easy either. An adult monthly pass jumped to $126 for 2026. Back in November 2025, Calgary Transit Director Sharon Fleming asked for that $14 million bump, pointing to surging ridership as the city shook off its COVID hangover.

The Blowback

Student and transit advocates aren't buying what Council's selling. Julia Law, chair of the Calgary Student Alliance (CSA), says the hike dumps more financial pain on students already stretched thin. Alex Williams, who runs Calgary Transit Riders, is equally annoyed—calling out the city for jacking up fares without spelling out what riders actually get in return.

Key players in the UPass deal include Naomie Bakana, UCalgary SU President, and Lujaina Eldelebshany, a student rep on the Board of Governors.

What's Next

The increase is live for the 2026 academic year. The extra cash is supposed to keep Calgary Transit running and fund RouteAhead's promise of better service across the network. Whether students see buses show up more reliably? That's the bet Council just made with their wallets.