British ColumbiaThe university student coalition is asking for a $10 walk-on fee for all post-secondary students, who currently have to pay full cost fares ranging from $15 to $20. Students from kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as seniors already benefit from fare discounts. Coalition is asking for a $10 walk-on fee for all post-secondary students in the provinceMichelle Gomez · CBC News · Posted: Nov 07, 2025 8:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A number of student unions are calling on government and B.C. Ferries to offer $10 walk-on fares for post-secondary students. (BC Ferries)A coalition of student unions at B.C. universities are calling for cheaper fares on local ferries. The coalition, which includes student groups from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU), and the University of Victoria (UVic), has sent a proposal to the provincial government and B.C. Ferries asking for a $10 walk-on fee for all post-secondary students, who currently have to pay adult fares, which range in cost between $15 and $20 depending on the route. Students from kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as seniors benefit from fare discounts. Michael Caryk of the University of Victoria Students’ Society said offering a discount to post-secondary students would improve their lives and likely increase ridership for B.C. Ferries. “We believe this would improve accessibility, affordability, and ridership,” he told CBC’s On The Island. Caryk said reduced ferry rates would allow UVic students with family on the mainland to travel home more often. “This would also help students … have a bit more time with their family, to be able to afford a few more trips back,” he said. B.C. Ferries said in a statement that funding for such a discount would have to come from the province. “B.C. Ferries recognizes the financial pressures many students face and appreciates their advocacy on this issue,” the statement said. “Any new fare categories or discounts, including those for post-secondary students, would require direction and funding from the provincial government.”The CEO of B.C. Ferries has warned that the company may need to increase fares by 30 per cent in 2028. The B.C. Ministry of Transportation said service levels and fare structures are adjusted every four years, with the next cycle beginning on April 1, 2028. “As work begins on the next performance term. . . consideration will be given to existing or revised programs that support affordability and accessibility across the coastal ferry system.”Caryk said students hope the federal government will provide more funding to ferry users in B.C.Premier David Eby has been critical of the federal government, saying it subsidizes ferry users on the East Coast by about $300 per person, while ferry users in B.C. receive $1 per person. ABOUT THE AUTHORMichelle Gomez is a writer and reporter at CBC Vancouver. You can contact her at michelle.gomez@cbc.ca.
B.C. university groups call for cheaper ferry rates for post-secondary students
