(WATCH: NAIT students looking for some relief from City Hall have walked away empty and it has to do with the long-delayed Metro LRT line. Vinesh Pratap explains.)
EDMONTON – NAIT students will not be getting the break they were hoping for when it comes to transit fees.
Following news that the opening of the Metro LRT line to NAIT would be delayed yet again, the NAIT Students’ Association wrote a letter to Mayor Don Iveson, asking for compensation for their U-Pass fee.
“We had asked for a fee relief for the next semester,” said Hasib Baig, president of the NAIT Students’ Association.
The request came after the opening of line was delayed for a third time. The 3.3 kilometre Metro Line was originally scheduled to open in April 2014. In March, the opening date was pushed back to the end of 2014. This past October it was pushed back yet again. Now, the city expects the line to be up and running by early 2015.
READ MORE: Opening of Edmonton’s Metro LRT Line delayed for third time
NAITSA was seeking $140,000, which amounts to about $7.50 per student, Baig said. That amount is roughly how much more NAIT students will pay if the proposed U-Pass fee hike goes ahead next term.
The U-Pass, which is mandatory for all students, is new to NAIT. Last year, students voted on whether or not to adopt the pass. Baig says the new LRT line was a big selling feature of the pass.
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“Part of the referendum was that we’ll have the service available from downtown to NAIT for the students,” he explained. “It passed last year by 78 per cent.”
Mayor Don Iveson says he understands the frustrations of students, and of everyone who is waiting for the line to open. In response to the delay, the city increased bus service between downtown and NAIT, adding the “Ookspress,” which runs during peak hours.
“I’m sorry to the students that they are experiencing the delay, but I need them to work with us and be patient,” said Iveson. “In my view, we have acted very reasonably in order to mitigate the absence of the LRT for NAIT students.
“They are still benefiting from very good transit service, not quite LRT, but very good transit service at a significant discount.”
Iveson says city council hasn’t been notified of any further delays to the Metro Line opening. He says signal testing is still underway and, as far as he’s been told, the line will open in February, as scheduled.
Baig says the Students’ Association is happy the request was at least considered by the city. Students are anxiously awaiting the day they can ride the rail to school.
“It was more about the principal rather than the cost itself,” said Baig.
With files from Vinesh Pratap, Global News.
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