City to review Leisure Access Program eligibility for students

On September 25, Edmonton City Council approved a motion to have the City of Edmonton review and report back to council on post-secondary students’ eligibility for the Leisure Access Program (LAP).

The LAP offers free or discounted access to recreation facilities and city attractions for eligible low-income Edmontonians. Currently, the program excludes post-secondary students at Concordia University of Edmonton, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), MacEwan University, and the University of Alberta without children.

Michael Janz, currently the councillor for Ward papastew which includes the U of A’s North Campus, led the motion to have city administration provide a report on the implications of allowing registered post-secondary students to be eligible for the program. Andrew Knack, current councillor for Ward Nakota Isga and mayoral candidate, seconded the motion. 

The motion was amended to be a part of a review of LAP as a whole that the city expects to be done by the end of quarter two of 2026. The motion was carried.

An effort to improve student well-being

Janz said he had met with the Edmonton Student Alliance (ESA) and other post-secondary student groups ahead of the motion. 

“This issue has come up around the question of what [council] can do about affordability for post-secondary students,” Janz explained. “City Council can’t lower the rent, or lower tuition, or lower the cost of textbooks, but we can improve student well-being by allowing students more access to recreation at a free or reduced cost.”

Whether the access would be free or at a reduced cost would depend on the eligibility of the individual.

Janz said the city has many attractions that students may not be able to enjoy due to the cost. He also pitched the possible change of eligibility as “very affordable and accessible marketing for the city to help students.” 

In a media advisory Janz sent before the meeting, he said “this is amazing free marketing and advertising as more young adults take a date and post a cute selfie at the Muttart or visit one of our amazing outdoor swimming pools or indoor wave pools.”

Councillor for Anirnq, Erin Rutherdford, asked whether the reason post-secondary students are exempt from LAP is because their tuition pays for access to gyms and recreational facilities at their schools.

Janz clarified that LAP includes more than gyms, it includes things like the wave pool, the zoo, Muttart Conservatory, the adventure park, and more. 

In an email sent to The Gateway after the motion had passed, Janz said “I would caution that in the past the reason this has not advanced is the perception that students have families who can pay for their attractions, or that being a poor student is just a right of passage.”

He also said in the email that another concern is that the city would lose revenue by changing the eligibility criteria.

Letter of support from the U of A’s Students’ Union

The U of A Students’ Union (UASU) wrote a letter of support for extending LAP eligibility to post-secondary students. 

The letter said “under pressures like time, means, distance, stress, and food insecurity, many of us struggle to find a mentally and physically healthy lifestyle. Access to recreation facilities and programming can be crucial.”

The letter also mentioned barriers to access aside from just being ineligible as students. Namely confusion over whether a student’s living situation counts as a household and getting firm numbers for their household income.

“For the share of post-secondary students who would use this pass, default eligibility would eliminate most of these barriers and unlock access to a healthier lifestyle grounded in their local communities.”

The next City Council would need to approve any changes to the eligibility criteria.