U-Pass BC is a public transportation monthly pass for post-secondary students valid throughout
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
and available to all students at participating institutions.
The original concept of a regional-wide initiative was expanded province-wide in June 2010, when the provincial government created the U-Pass BC program that offers a standardized transit program for all public post-secondary students, effective September 2010.
U-Pass BC is available to students attending post-secondary institutions located around the
Metro Vancouver
The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and Corporation, corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as o ...
area such as the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
,
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a Public university, public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It maintains three campuses in Greater Vancouver, respectively located in Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, British Columbia, Surrey, and ...
,
Capilano,
Langara,
Emily Carr University of Art and Design
The Emily Carr University of Art and Design (stylized as Emily Carr University of Art + Design and abbreviated as ECU) is a public university of art school, art and design located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1925 as the Van ...
,
Vancouver Community College
Vancouver Community College (VCC) is a public community college in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1965, it is the oldest community college in British Columbia. VCC offers 79 certificate programs, 24 diploma programs, 9 award o ...
(VCC),
Douglas College
Douglas College is the largest college in British Columbia, Canada with 7,958 full-time equivalent students in 2023-24. Douglas College offers bachelor's degrees and general university arts and science courses, as well as career programs in h ...
,
Kwantlen Polytechnic University,
British Columbia Institute of Technology
The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institute in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The technical institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main cam ...
(BCIT),
and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. The
Justice Institute of British Columbia
Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) is a public, post-secondary educational institution in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, that is focused on training professionals in the justice, public safety and social services fields. JI ...
has opted not to participate in the program.
Pass holders are eligible to use
HandyDART
HandyDART is an accessible transit service in British Columbia that uses vans or small buses to transport disabled or elderly passengers who cannot use the normal transit system. This service provides door-to-door service and is available in all ...
if requirements are met and also for discounted fares on the
West Coast Express
The West Coast Express is a Commuter rail in North America, commuter railway serving the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It is owned and operated by the region's transit authority, TransLink (British Columbia), TransLink. ...
.
On June 1, 2015, the U-Pass BC paper fare passes were phased out in favour of the
Compass card for students at BCIT, Langara, SFU and UBC. Conversion of all U-Passes to Compass began that July 1, when students at Capilano and VCC switched over.
History
The
Metro Vancouver
The Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD), or simply Metro Vancouver, is a Canadian political subdivision and Corporation, corporate entity representing the metropolitan area of Greater Vancouver, designated by provincial legislation as o ...
regional U-Pass program was first implemented in September 2003 by
TransLink with the sponsorship of
Vancity credit union. It was first implemented at
UBC
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a Public university, public research university with campuses near University of British Columbia Vancouver, Vancouver and University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, in British Columbia, Canada ...
and
SFU but was further expanded to
Capilano University
Capilano University (CapU) is a teaching-focused public university based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, located on the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, with programming that also serves the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Sunshi ...
and
Langara College
Langara College (snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ in ''Halkomelem'') is a public degree-granting college in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which serves more than 19,000 students annually. Langara College started in 1965 as part of Vancouver Community ...
in 2009.
On June 9, 2010, the
British Columbia provincial government announced that the U-Pass program would be expanded into a province-wide initiative at a rate of $30 per month. At the same time, it was announced that Vancity would no longer be a sponsor for the program.
On September 1, 2011, the U-Pass BC program officially launched at 11 public post-secondary institutions outside Metro Vancouver. Under the new program, monthly bus passes were issued to each student using dispensers, which—across all participating institutions—issued an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 U-Passes per month.
Fee

the fee for the U-Pass is $41 per month for all students. The U-Pass allows unlimited travel in all zones on buses, SkyTrain and the SeaBus. This represents a significant savings over the fee for the equivalent three-zone monthly pass, or a one-zone pass with a FastTrax sticker previously required.
On April 1, 2013, the U-Pass monthly fee increased to $35 per month. The U-Pass fee is paid with tuition and student fees, and all students (regardless of whether they take on-campus or distance education courses, or are on a
co-op term within the Metro Vancouver region) must purchase the pass. In limited circumstances, some students may opt out.
U-Passes are non-transferable, and before the advent of the Compass card, students were required to have their name printed on the back of their paper pass. Fraudulent use may result in criminal charges or a fine. Students are required to carry supplemental identification (a student card) and produce it for inspection, along with the U-Pass, upon request of a transit security officer or a member of the
transit police
Transit police (also known as transport police, railway police, railroad police and several other terms) are specialized police agencies employed either by a common carrier, such as a transit district, railway, railroad, bus line, or another mas ...
. Failure to produce one's student card upon request may result in confiscation of the U-Pass, a fine for not having a valid fare in a Fare Paid Zone, or restriction from receiving a U-Pass for an indefinite period.
Popularity
According to the SFU U-Pass site, in a referendum held at SFU in March 2005, students voted 83% in favour of continuing the U-Pass program until at least September 2008, and 88% of SFU students currently use a U-Pass. Transit ridership to
SFU's Burnaby
Burnaby is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Located in the centre of the Burrard Peninsula, it neighbours the City of Vancouver to the west, the District of North Vancouver across the confluence of the Burrard In ...
Campus had increased 48% since the launch of the U-Pass program. In addition, one third of SFU students reported that they avoided the need to purchase a vehicle and over 60% reported a reduced reliance on automobiles since the introduction of the Pass. Another referendum held in 2016 resulted in 94% of student voters favoured continuing the U-Pass program.
[http://elections.sfss.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Election-Report.pdf ]
Environmental benefits
According to the U-Pass Review Final Report, TransLink estimated that by May 2005, regional green house gas emissions had been reduced by as a result of the SFU U-Pass program and as a result of the UBC U-Pass program.
Notes
External links
TransLink U-Pass PageSFU U-Pass siteUBC U-Pass siteKPU U-Pass siteCapilano U-Pass siteVCC U-Pass siteDouglas U-Pass siteBCIT U-Pass site
{{TransLink services, state_skytrain=collapsed, state_miscellaneous=uncollapsed
BC Transit
Higher education in British Columbia
Fare collection systems in Canada
TransLink (British Columbia)