Quebec college faces $30 million in fines for too many students in English programs
LaSalle College says the fines threaten the survival of the 65-year-old bilingual institution.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
19 hours ago
- CTV News
Quebec private college association calls on CAQ to reconsider $30 million fine over English students
LaSalle College, which has been fined $30 million by the Quebec government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs, is seen in Montreal on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press) The Association des collèges privés du Québec (ACPQ) is urging François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government to negotiate with LaSalle College instead of imposing nearly $30 million in fines over English-speaking students. 'It unfairly compromises the viability of colleges that play an essential role in providing access to French-language post-secondary education here in Quebec,' the ACPQ said in a statement Monday. Last week, the college confirmed it was being fined for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs over the past two academic years, saying it was accused of contravening Quebec's French Language Charter. It was amended under Bill 96 to only allow junior colleges to enroll a certain number of students in their English-language programs. The ACPQ said it is alarmed by the CAQ's move, which could threaten the college's survival. It is calling for 'a reasonable, fair and realistic solution to avoid irreversible consequences for LaSalle College and all its students.' Private colleges receive some subsidies from the government, representing about 60 per cent of the subsidy allocated to students in the public system, according to the ACPQ. 'This substantial difference reflects the significant contribution of private colleges to the efficiency of Quebec's higher education system,' it said. The college association said it 'commends the government's stated commitment to protecting and promoting the French language,' and stressed that institutions like LaSalle College provide higher education in French. The ACPQ participated in Bill 96 consultations in May 2023 and recommended a gradual implementation of new measures as it was worried about the fairness of the government's proposed penalty system. 'However, we regret that the draft regulation concerning subsidy reductions unfairly and disproportionately targets many subsidized private colleges, which will jeopardize their sustainability,' the ACPQ said. 'In this context, the uniform application of a cutback, without regard to the structural differences between the public and subsidized private systems, is not only unjustified but counterproductive.' CTV News reached out to the French-Language Ministry for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication. The ACPQ is demanding that the government quickly put in place a negotiated transition plan based on 'justice, fairness and realism' and to treat LaSalle College 'in line with its historical and current contribution to the promotion of the French language and higher education in Quebec' and avoid the closure of a major institution. 'The ACPQ therefore calls for a reasonable, fair and realistic solution to avoid irreversible consequences for LaSalle College and all its students,' it said. With files from CTV News Montreal's Rachel Lau
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Cision Canada
Public Notice - Centre Village Renewables Integration and Grid Security Project Français
Comments Invited and Information Sessions on the Summary of the Initial Project Description What is happening? OTTAWA, ON, July 14, 2025 /CNW/ - WattBridge Energy IPP Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of PROENERGY Holding Company Inc., is proposing the Centre Village Renewables Integration and Grid Security Project, a new electricity generation facility, located in Centre Village, near Sackville, in southeastern New Brunswick. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) invites Indigenous Peoples and the public to review the summary of the Initial Project Description and provide comments on the proposed project. This feedback will help IAAC prepare a summary of issues that will be given to the proponent. How can I participate? Comments should be submitted online by visiting the project home page on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (reference number 89719). The summary of the Initial Project Description is also available on the Registry. Participants who wish to provide input in a different format can contact IAAC by writing to [email protected]. Submit your comments online by 11:59 p.m. on August 1, 2025. All comments received will be published online as part of the project file. Participant funding will be available to eligible participants during this comment period and details will be announced shortly on the Registry. IAAC will retroactively reimburse eligible participants for their participation costs in this first comment period. Virtual Information Sessions IAAC invites Indigenous Peoples and the public to attend an information session via Zoom to learn more about the project, the impact assessment process, and how to submit comments on the summary of the Initial Project Description. July 21, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ADT (English) July 22, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ADT (English) July 22, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ADT (French) For information on how to attend a session, please visit the project home page on the Registry and click on " Information Sessions" If you have any questions, please contact IAAC using the project email above. What is the proposed project? WattBridge Energy IPP Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of PROENERGY Holding Company Inc., is proposing to construct, operate and decommission the Centre Village Renewables Integration and Grid Security Project, a new electricity generation facility, located in Centre Village, near Sackville, in southeastern New Brunswick. As proposed, the project would have capacity to generate up to 500 megawatts of electricity using gas turbines and would operate as needed to maintain system reliability and provide back-up energy generation. The project is expected to operate for about 25 years.
Montreal Gazette
a day ago
- Montreal Gazette
Opinion: LaSalle College shares the blame for its troubles
Thirty million dollars. That's the staggering 'penalty' LaSalle College is facing for exceeding its English-language students limit for two years in a row. A situation that could, according to the college's director general Claude Marchand, threaten the very survival of the 65-year-old institution. Since last week, LaSalle College has been in full crisis-management mode. But managing a crisis doesn't give you a licence to say anything or spread misinformation. So let's set the record straight. First, the so-called 'fine' isn't actually $30 million, contrary to what the college has been telling the media. A portion of that amount represents government subsidies LaSalle should never have received in the first place. Take the 2024-2025 academic year as an example: of the $21 million the Higher Education Ministry is asking LaSalle to repay, $5.6 million corresponds to public funds issued for 1,066 English-language students who, under Quebec law, should not have been admitted. The remainder is a penalty imposed for exceeding the government-imposed quota. Now, some might argue that a fine nearly three times the amount of the subsidies received is excessive — and it is, indeed. But others could say that it sends a strong message to all private colleges in Quebec: There are serious consequences for defying the rules. Because LaSalle College is, in fact, the only private institution of its kind in Quebec to be in this situation for two consecutive years. Some other colleges may have slightly failed to meet the ministry's criteria — but not by a margin anywhere close to LaSalle's. Over 1,000 extra students in a single year — when the cap was actually 716 — does not seem like an honest oversight; it looks like a direct challenge to Quebec's democratically enacted laws. If others managed to stay within the government's new quotas, why couldn't LaSalle? Marchand claims that admission contracts are signed with new students over a year in advance. But the new rules were voted in 2022 — giving the college nearly two years to adapt before the 2024-'25 school year in which it enrolled more than 1,000 extra students. So let's be honest: That argument doesn't really hold water. That said, it's also unclear why the ministry disbursed $5.6 million in subsidies despite the excess admissions. Someone within the ministry should have flagged the problem well before the cheque was sent for students the institution was never allowed to enrol in the first place. So, the responsibility appears to be shared here. On one side, LaSalle shouldn't have accepted these students, nor requested subsidies — approximately $5,000 per student — while knowingly breaching its legal limits. Meanwhile, the ministry should never have allocated those public funds, given the clear over-enrolment. With that in mind, a reasonable solution might be to significantly reduce or even cancel the $15-million penalty and simply demand repayment of the $5.6 million in improperly awarded subsidies for 2024-'25, for instance. In the end, this is a matter of fiscal responsibility. Every dollar of hard-earned taxpayer money received in violation of the law must be returned. This should be non-negotiable. Marchand stated on X that the college is actually 'subsidizing the Quebec government' by generating $10 million more in public revenue than it receives in annual subsidies. Most people will agree that LaSalle College is an important institution that deserves to survive. But should it receive special treatment just because of that? Absolutely not. Making a positive contribution to Quebec's economy and society does not exempt you from following the law. Because if that were the case, any business could ignore the rules for the same reasons. Whether we like it or not, laws are made to be enforced. And everyone is equally expected to follow them. If LaSalle College wants to avoid fines in the future, it only needs to do what its competitors already do: abide by the law. It's as simple as that. Raphaël Melançon is a public affairs consultant and political analyst. He previously worked as a journalist and political adviser at all three levels of government.
