Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc and Spruce Grove join U-Pass program

News Staff - Thu Nov 24, 2016

The University of Alberta Students’ Union is pleased to welcome the cities of Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc and Spruce Grove to the U-Pass program. When the U-Pass was introduced in 2007, it provided discounted, unlimited public transit access in Edmonton, Strathcona County and St. Albert to University of Alberta, MacEwan University and NAIT students. Since then, the U-Pass program has expanded to include NorQuest College students along with the three municipalities announced today.

Robyn Paches, the Students’ Union Vice-President of Operations Finance, spoke on behalf of students at the signing ceremony held today at NAIT. “Before today, those coming into the city on transit from Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc, and Spruce Grove needed to pay additional fees or purchase an entirely separate pass in order to travel across municipal boundaries,” he said. “Those fees can add up when you take the bus, both ways, almost every day. As you can imagine, we were thrilled to learn the municipal partners were talking and looking at how they could expand the program.”

The expansion to the U-Pass program will help establish a pattern of using environmentally-responsible travel that will encourage students to continue using transit even following graduation. It will also allow easier access to the university for students living in Fort Saskatchewan, Leduc and Spruce Grove, and expand student access to practicum, recreation and volunteer opportunities in the greater Edmonton area. “This simple change is making a significant contribution to our future,” said Paches.

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