WATERLOO REGION - Both Conestoga College and Waterloo Region are disappointed new provincial rules scrapped the college's universal bus pass, now several years in the works.

"Obviously, it's disappointing," said Scot Wyles, president of Conestoga Students Incorporated. "We were so close."

The Ontario government changed the rules for compulsory student fees, and only post-secondary schools with signed transit agreements before Jan. 17 are allowed to charge all students for a pass with their tuition. That includes the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, both having existing universal pass agreements with the region.

Otherwise, the pass must be listed as an opt-out fee - and that's where the Conestoga U-Pass now falls after the region recently got confirmation from the province.

The college had a referendum in fall 2018 with the majority of students voting yes and the region approved the pass in its 2019 budget, but the two did not yet have an official agreement.

"As of right now, there's nothing else we can do," Wyles said.

The region has to rethink plans made around the pass, too.

"We know things will change, but we're not sure how," said Peter Zinck, director of transit services.

More riders were forecast with the universal pass, and the region planned to increase service accordingly on selected routes, including greater frequency, evening and weekend service.

Staff are looking at ridership and service levels along with increasing enrolment numbers and plan to bring a report to council later this month.

"There still is tremendous ridership," Zinck said. "We expect that to continue in the fall."

Over the last two years, ridership has increased by 65 per cent, from 2,000 to more than 3,300 riders daily. Grand River Transit boosted service to the Doon campus by almost 40 per cent, or 125 more bus trips daily, from 320 to 445, in response.

"We're providing good service to the college. We'll continue to do that," Zinck said.

Work is also underway on a new terminal for the Doon campus to handle the growing number of buses and riders. It is expected to open by the end of the year or early next year.

The student association will stick with selling discounted student passes at the start of each semester, at a higher cost than the universal pass that allowed students a year of unlimited rides. And that's not to mention the hours-long lines students face each semester to get their pass.

The Conestoga U-Pass would have cost $274, paid with tuition fees. The discounted student pass is $292 per four-month term.

"It's still a lot more than what it could have been with the U-Pass," Wyles said.

He said the association will continue to advocate for transit and hope a new provincial government will change the rules and put a Conestoga pass back on the table.

"Everyone wanted it," Wyles said.

And it took a long while to get everyone on board.

Students voted in favour in 2011, but the region balked at the cost and it didn't go forward. Then in 2016, the region earmarked money for the pass and added service, but students voted against it.

Finally on the third try, both students and the region gave it the green light.

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jweidner@therecord.com

Twitter: @WeidnerRecord