All members of the Kelowna and UBC Okanagan Community are being used as cash cows; with a lacklustre transit system, students and staff are being forced to park on campus for an exorbitant amount of fees.

For a mere $756, students, staff, and faculty can pay to park on campus. If you enjoy hiking in the winter, the $600 H-Lot permit is a steal. What makes even more sense is that you'll need to pay an entirely new parking fee should you want to park on campus for the summer...this can bring your parking fee to the grand total of $945.

This is not to mention that UBC sells more parking passes than there are actual parking spaces; efficiency...or *cough* exploitation at its finest. Even the subsidy UBC provides the SUO for our UPass comes from a fun, little additional charge on your parking fees. So, if you cannot opt out of the UPass, you're funding your own subsidy! Ahh yes, the circle of fees.

The SUO of UBC has been advocating for students all year long for some important reforms to our parking services structure...whether this be a reduction in fees, a reduction in day-rate parking, a reduction in parking ticket fines, or increase in a UPass subsidies, we've said it.

This petition is to serve the function of providing parking services and UBC with the reality check that they need; the current system does not work and costs a sh** ton. 

The SUO of UBC is asking the public to sign this petition and voice their troubling experiences in the comments under this petition so that we can compile your experiences to bring back to the table with UBC, the table they've left us parked at *wink wink.

We are asking for a restructuring of parking fees that will sit in place until Kelowna public transit access improves on our campus, a reduction in parking ticket fees from $30 in first 14 days to $20 no matter the timeline, a reduction in day rate parking in the upper campus lots, and an increase in the UPass subsidy without an increase in overall parking fees. 

We understand that emissions reductions are a priority, and we fully support and commend the steps UBC has made in addressing climate change.

However, this is no excuse for continuing these predatory practices on students, faculty, and staff. The SUO of UBC will embolden every voice that signs this petition and continue to advocate for the needs of not only our students, but our entire community. 

Thank you, 

Cade Desjarlais 

SUO VP External 

For inquiries please message vpexternal@suo.ca or contact our communications manager becca.evans@suo.ca for media inquiries