On July 28, the Students’ Legislative Council (SLC) voted in favour of implementing a flat Mac Hall redevelopment fee of $11.25 for all students during the 2026-27 academic year.
The proposal voted with an overwhelming majority of SLC, with one sole nay vote from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) representative.
Students approved a tiered fee structure in the 2026 general election referendum based on year of enrolment, with students paying less closer to graduation.
$11.25 was the lowest tier and applied to fifth-year students and higher. Under the newly approved flat fee, now all students will pay $11.25.
At the last SLC meeting, President Gabriela Dziegielewska explained to council chambers that the university is unable to charge a tiered fee based on year of enrollment.
“The university filing system cannot charge SU fees based on enrollment tier, which is the structure that’s proposed in the referendum,” said Dziegielewska. “This gap is fixable but it is not a priority for the university at this point or probably any point to be honest.”
Dziegielewska explained what the fee could look like after this academic year, noting a potential referendum in the 2027 general election.
“The Mac Hall fee can either reverse to the original structure that was approved in the 2026 general election referendum or it can be modified if a new referendum to charge the Mac Hall fee is passed during the 2027 general election,” she said.
Dziegielewska also noted that there is currently no concrete timeline for the redevelopment. According to Dziegielewska, collecting the fee this year would not significantly impact the redevelopment timeline because a stable fee structure is first required.
“What it does change is having the money versus not having the money,” said Dziegielewska. “We’re talking about engaging architects, designers, etc. If we have more money, those things can be done faster.”
SLC is expected to revisit the Mac Hall redevelopment fee ahead of the 2027 general election.
