19.1 per cent of undergraduate students voted in the Students’ Society of McGill University’s (SSMU) Fall 2025 Referendum, passing five of the seven ballotted motions. The Tribune sat down with the referendum’s stakeholders to discuss the results.
Motion Regarding Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) Services Fee Increase
The Motion Regarding Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) Services Fee Increase, moved by the Student Groups Committee, proposed an increase from $1.66 CAD to $2.19 CAD of the opt-outable MSA fee charged to SSMU members each semester. The increase was rejected in the referendum, with 52.4 per cent of students voting against it.
The MSA advocates for Muslim students’ rights to religious accommodations at McGill by ensuring halal meals and prayer spaces are available on campus, as well as by providing community programming such as mentorship opportunities. The 53-cent increase requested in the referendum was intended to mitigate the group’s financial dependency on the ticketed events they frequently host, which the MSA states decreases the accessibility of their programming.
MSA President Hamza AlFarrash stated in a written response to The Tribune that while the association’s goal of creating safe spaces for Muslim students on campus will not change, the motion’s failure shows a discrepancy between the level of support the Muslim community actually needs and the resources McGill and its undergraduates have deemed appropriate for this community. Many MSA services will have to be delayed, significantly scaled back, or halted entirely as a result of the ‘no’ vote.
AlFarrash further expressed surprise at the referendum result, stating that he expected more reciprocal support from other groups that the MSA advocates for.
“We have been consistent and unwavering in our advocacy for Palestine—a cause deeply rooted in our inseparable identity as Muslims […] [whether we were] pushing the administration, including the President at one point, to divest, [or] challenging their tone and language in official communications,” AlFarrash wrote. “I expected more support from our allies, especially those who share many of the same struggles and aspirations for justice.”
Motion Regarding the Student Services Fee
Voters also rejected the Motion Regarding the Student Services Fee; the non-opt-outable fee will remain $204.74 CAD per semester for full-time undergraduate students. Put forth by SSMU President Dymetri Taylor, the motion would have seen this fee increase by 4 per cent each Fall term until 2028, ultimately settling at $230.31 CAD, if passed. The increase was intended to address the costs of services such as the Student Wellness Hub, Campus Life & Engagement, the Career Planning Service, International Student Services, Scholarships and Student Aid, Student Accessibility and Achievement (SAA), First People’s House, and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life; as of this year, these services’ costs have exceeded the revenue the current fee generates.
In a written statement to The Tribune, Taylor described how the motion’s failure will lead to inevitable cuts to these programs’ resources, increasing work for both the student society and its members.
“It doesn’t affect the SSMU (budgetarily wise); however, it does affect [these] Student Services,” Taylor wrote. “In turn, [we could] see decreases in services offered by the respective departments, whether that’s cuts to employees, events, opportunities, [or] assistance.”
Motion Regarding the Renewal of the Access McGill Ancillary Fee
Taylor also put forward the Motion Regarding the Renewal of the Access McGill Ancillary Fee, which aimed to maintain the fee’s $2 CAD rate until Winter 2031. This referendum item passed, with just over three-quarters of voters in favour. The ancillary fee goes towards Student Accessibility and Achievement (SAA), which is responsible for providing accommodations to students who face disability-related barriers. These resources include exam support, language translation services, and transportation for students with physical impairments. The fee aims to improve the current services offered by SAA, and its passage occurred amid complaints from students regarding unprofessional SAA invigilator conduct.
Motion Regarding the Renewal of the SSMU Access Bursary Fund Fee
The Motion Regarding the Renewal of the SSMU Access Bursary Fund Fee, again moved by Taylor, was approved with a resounding 80.8 per cent of students voting ‘yes’, making it the most popular motion on the ballot. The opt-outable fee, currently costing members $8.50 CAD per semester, is administered by McGill’s Scholarship and Student Aid Office to undergraduate students facing financial barriers. McGill matches each fee payment from students, amounting to an average of $700,000 to 900,000 CAD a year in need-based financial aid available to SSMU members through this fee.
Motion Regarding the Renewal of the Musician’s Collective Fee
Voters also passed the Motion Regarding the Renewal of the Musician’s Collective Fee, moved by Taylor, via a 66 per cent majority. This $0.10 CAD opt-outable fee will be put towards the SSMU Musician’s Collective’s equipment, performance opportunities, and jam room, which are available to any students who pay this fee.
Motion Regarding First Year Fee Renewal Question
The Motion Regarding First Year Fee Renewal Question, moved by Taylor, was approved with 53.2 per cent of voters saying ‘yes’ to the fee. The opt-outable $0.30 CAD charge will come into effect from Winter 2026 through Winter 2031, meant to facilitate the activities of the SSMU First-Year Council. The Council hosts social events, provides forums for first-year discussions, and represents first-year students at SSMU’s Legislative Council.
Motion Regarding Creation of the Gender Affirming Care Fee
The Motion Regarding Creation of the Gender Affirming Care Fee, put forth by Taylor, was narrowly approved by a 51.1 per cent vote in favour. This opt-outable fee will come at a rate of $10.05 CAD per student per year, spanning from Winter 2026 until Winter 2031 when it will be re-voted on for renewal. The fee will provide for an Alumo (previously StudentCare) gender-affirming care insurance plan, which will reimburse students up to $5,000 CAD per gender-affirming procedure, with a cap of $50,000 CAD per plan user.
This insurance plan seeks to fill the gaps in coverage of gender-affirming procedures under the existing SSMU general health insurance plan. Gender-affirming care was included in the student dental plan starting in 2023, but its cancellation in January 2025 left many students without guaranteed access to this life-saving healthcare, as gender-affirming procedures are often unaffordable without coverage.
Taylor affirmed that the new gender-affirming care insurance plan will be in effect starting in fall of 2026.
“Conversations have already taken place with Student Care to move forward with the plan, that is the only reason it was on the referendum as well,” he wrote. “Additional time is necessary because of the required work that needs to be done between McGill and Student Care to organise the opt-out process and communicate information.”
Voter Turnout
Reflecting on the 19.1 per cent overall voter turnout, SSMU Vice-President External Affairs Seraphina Crema-Black laid out SSMU’s plans for increasing participation in future referendums. She raised potential ideas such as ramping up SSMU tabling for voting on campus, coordinating with professors to help draw in voters, and preparing clearer resources for students ahead of voting.
“I recently met with our SSMU Elections team and my Political Campaigns Coordinator to begin planning how we can increase participation in the next referendum,” Crema-Black wrote in a statement to The Tribune. “We know turnout can always be improved, and we’re working on strategies that make voting more visible and accessible for students.”
A previous version of this article stated that the current Muslim Students’ Association Services Fee stood at $1.66 CAD, with the MSA aiming to increase its fee by 53 cents. In fact, the current fee is $1.55 CAD, meaning the proposed increase would have been by 64 cents. The Tribune regrets this error.
