Results published from the 2023 MSU referenda

McMaster students will continue paying for the HSR Bus Pass, Solar Car and Engineers Without Borders following referenda results

This MSU election season, students not only voted for their 2023-2024 president-elect, but they also voted in three referenda about whether to continue paying for the Hamilton Street Railway bus pass, McMaster University Solar Car and Engineers Without Borders.  

In the HSR bus pass referendum, 77.1 per cent voted to continue paying for a 12-month unlimited ride HSR bus pass until the 2025-2026 school year. Approximately 10.5 per cent of the student population voted, bringing it barely above the 10 per cent threshold for referendum results to be counted. 

Students paid $232.94 in the 2022-2023 school year for the unlimited bus pass. Next year’s fee will total $241.79, due to transportation price increases as a part of Hamilton’s city council 10-year strategic plan. 

In order for a referendum to be acknowledged, at least 10 per cent of the student body must vote. Both the McMaster Solar Car and Engineers Without Borders referenda failed to meet this threshold. Therefore, the previous fees will be kept as a fee on students’ tuition.  

Annually, McMaster Solar Car and Engineers Without Borders cost each student $1.11 and $0.41 respectively.  

The results from these referenda have not changed the fees to McMaster students, with the exception of a $8.85 price increase in the HSR bus pass due to rising costs of transportation in the 2023-2024 school year.