UNB Student Union

What UNB Student Union does

UNB Student Union (UNBSU) is a student-run nonprofit organization that represents and serves over 6,500 full-time undergraduate students on the University of New Brunswick Fredericton campus. As the official, recognized student union, UNBSU operates under mandatory membership funded through student union fees collected as part of tuition, and delivers a broad portfolio of services including health and dental insurance (via Alumo), the SafeRide free evening transportation service (shared with Saint Thomas University students), food security programs (Fresh Food Bags, Food Bank, monthly breakfast with Chartwells, Campus Garden), the Bike Co-op free bicycle loan program, Papertrail printing and fax services, and UNBSU-funded evening counselling. The organization also manages over 100 ratified student clubs and societies, distributes more than $100,000 annually in funding (Conference, Sustainability, and Club & Society), and runs the Campus Events programming sub-brand.

UNBSU has no proprietary technology products; its digital infrastructure consists of a Squarespace-hosted website, the UNBSafe mobile safety app, a bi-weekly newsletter, and the Union Blog. Revenue is derived primarily from mandatory SU fees bundled into undergraduate tuition (a subscription/recurring model), supplemented by transactional service fees from printing, photocopying, faxing, and bus pass sales through Papertrail. Distribution occurs through the Student Union Building headquarters and Welcome Centre on the Fredericton campus, mobile SafeRide vans, the Currie Centre Bike Co-op desk, and digital self-serve platforms for funding applications and insurance opt-out.

The organization is governed by an elected student council and operates independently of UNB as a separate nonprofit entity. Strategic partnerships include Alumo (insurance), Chartwells (food services), UNB Sustainability (Student Sustainability Fund), Saint Thomas University (SafeRide), and various campus resource referrals (Student Health Centre, UNB IT). The operating geography is exclusively the Fredericton, New Brunswick campus, with no disclosed expansion plans beyond this single market.

Name

UNB Student Union

Legal name

University of New Brunswick Student Union

Website

https://unbsu.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNBSU is a student-run nonprofit representing 6,500+ UNB Fredericton undergraduates, funded by mandatory student union fees and delivering health insurance, transportation, food security, printing, and club support services through the Student Union Building and digital channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Union Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Student Health Insurance Plans (University-Sponsored) (FSAIAFAI)

Keywords

• Student union services
• Campus advocacy
• Student health insurance
• Campus transportation programs
• Student engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fredericton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Union Fees: UNBSU is funded through student union fees collected from undergraduate students as part of their tuition. All full-time UNB undergraduate students are automatic members and contribute to SU fees that fund the organization's operations, services, and programming.
2. Service Fees: Revenue generated from various services including printing, photocopying, faxing services at the Welcome Centre, and bus pass sales through Papertrail.
3. Club & Society Funding Administration: UNBSU administers over $100,000 annually in funding support to students and student groups, including Conference Funding, Sustainability Funding, and Club & Society Funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UNB Student Union is a student-run nonprofit organization that represents and serves over 6,500 undergraduate students at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton campus. It delivers a portfolio of services including health and dental insurance administration, free SafeRide transportation, Bike Co-op loans, food security programs, printing and faxing, evening counselling, campus events programming, and administration of more than 100 student clubs and societies along with $100,000+ in annual student funding.

Product overview

UNB Student Union is a student-run organization providing advocacy, services, and programs for over 6,500 undergraduate students at UNB Fredericton. The UNBSU offers a suite of student support services including health & dental insurance (via Alumo), SafeRide transportation, Bike Co-op, food security programs (Fresh Food Bags, Food Bank, Breakfast Program), Papertrail printing services, and evening counselling. The organization also manages Campus Events programming, over 100 clubs and societies, funding opportunities exceeding $100,000 annually, student deals & discounts, the Union Blog for student voices, a bi-weekly newsletter, the UNBSafe app for campus safety, and the UCard campus identification system. The portfolio is organized as a unified student union with multiple service modules addressing health, transportation, food security, community engagement, academic support, and campus safety.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Campus Events: An events brand created by the UNBSU with the mission to redesign what it means to be a UNB student through high caliber events.

Products and services

• Health & Dental Insurance Plan
• SafeRide
• Bike Co-op
• Food Services
• Papertrail
• Welcome Centre
• Evening Counselling Services
• Student Deals & Discounts
• Campus Events
• Clubs and Societies
• Funding Opportunities
• UNBSafe App
• UCard

Quantifiable outcome

• 6,500+ students represented
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CatsquireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSafeRide partner providing transportation services. Catsquire logo appears as a partner on SafeRide promotional materials, indicating co-marketing or sponsorship relationship for the free ride program.
• GSAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSafeRide partner appearing on promotional materials alongside Catsquire, indicating co-sponsorship or marketing support for the transportation service.
• UNB SustainabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNBSU and UNB Sustainability partnered to create the Student Sustainability Fund for UNB Fredericton campus. Individual students, clubs, and societies can apply for funding to support sustainability projects. Funded by $1.00 per student per term of the SU Fee.
• Alumo (WeSpeakStudent)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth & dental insurance provider through WeSpeakStudent platform. Full-time UNB undergraduates are automatically enrolled in the Alumo insurance plan. Students can opt-out online with proof of equivalent coverage.
• ChartwellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNBF Campus food provider offering residence dining, retail dining, and catering services. Chartwells partners with UNBSU for campus food events including the monthly hot breakfast program.
• Saint Thomas UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTU students can use SafeRide service alongside UNB students, extending transportation service coverage to the adjacent university campus.
• UNB IT Service DeskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT support services available to all UNB students, including those served by UNBSU. Located in Harriet Irving Library Learning Commons and Marshall d'Avray Hall.
• Student Health CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical care provider for students, with UNB Student Health Centre located on campus. UNBSU refers students for healthcare services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Dalhousie Student Union: Atlantic Canadian student union at Dalhousie University with overlapping services (health plan, UPass, food programs, clubs) and the same Maritimes student demographic context as UNB Fredericton.
• Students' Association of Mount Allison University: Student association at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick — same province and regional student demographic as UNBSU, with similar (smaller-scale) advocacy and services mandate.

Direct peers

• Carleton University Students' Association: Student association at Carleton University running a comparable bundle of fee-funded services including health insurance, clubs, advocacy, and student space.
• McGill Students' Society: Student society at McGill University delivering fee-funded services including health insurance, clubs, food security programs (Midnight Kitchen), and governance — a near-analog to UNBSU's portfolio structure.
• University of Calgary Students' Union: Student union at the University of Calgary with comparable fee-funded services including health/dental coverage, transit pass, food bank, clubs, and student advocacy.
• University of Toronto Students' Union: The official student union representing undergraduate students at the University of Toronto; operates a comparable model of mandatory fees, health/dental insurance, clubs, advocacy, and campus services across multiple colleges.
• University of Alberta Students' Union: Student union at the University of Alberta with analogous offerings — health/dental plan, UPass, food bank, student legal services, clubs, and advocacy funded by mandatory fees.
• York Federation of Students: Student federation representing York University undergraduates with similar health plan, food programs, clubs, and advocacy funding structure, though at a much larger scale.
• Alma Mater Society of UBC: Student society at the University of British Columbia Vancouver campus; runs health/dental plan, SafeWalk program, food bank, clubs, and advocacy on a similar fee-funded nonprofit basis to UNBSU.

Others

• WeSpeakStudent (Alumo): Health and dental insurance platform provider for Canadian student unions including UNBSU; an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor, but defines the service model UNBSU relies on for its largest single benefit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unb-student-union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNB Student Union