The multi-million dollar JDUC redevelopment project ed in a referendum on Friday evening, clearing its last major hurdle.
Voter turnout was 25.6 per cent—up almost 5 per cent from last year’s unsuccessful JDUC referendum vote, according to an AMS press release. Students who voted in favour of the project numbered 52.3 per cent, with 47.7 per cent against and 3.2 per cent abstaining.
Last year’s vote was split by a similar margin that voted down the proposal. The vote saw 51.1 per cent of the undergraduate student body vote against the redevelopment, while 48.9 per cent voted in favour.
Beginning in the 2019-20 academic year, students will pay a mandatory, non-reviewable $40 fee for the project’s first two years, after which the fee will increase to $73.92. According to the JDUC redevelopment promotional website, the fee will then “increase at the most recent annual rate of inflation for each subsequent year.”
AMS President Miguel Martinez released a statement to the Society shortly following the results expressing its plans to begin the redevelopment process.
“We are thrilled with the outcome of the referendum and want to thank every single student who took the time to participate in surveys, consultations, focus groups, town halls, and voted,” he wrote. “Students will continue to guide the trajectory of the project as it moves toward a detailed design for the new JDUC.”
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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