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Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
LaSalle College says it helps French thrive, so why is Quebec cracking down on it?
By The bookstore at LaSalle College looks a lot like a bookstore at any other college or university, apart from a large section offering fabric by the yard, coloured threads on bobbins, buttons, zippers and other notions, alongside textbooks with titles like 'Fashion: The Whole Story' and 'Tout sur la mode.' It's all evidence of the school's long reputation as Quebec's foremost school for fashion design. But recently, this private, subsidized bilingual college at the corner of Ste-Catherine and Fort Sts. in downtown Montreal has been getting attention for something less glamorous than its flair for fashion. The Quebec government has served the school with fines totalling almost $30 million for violating the province's language law by admitting too many students to its English-taught continuing-education programs over the last two years. Education Minister Pascale Déry says it's a simple case of the college refusing to follow the rules. But many see it as another example of perverse effects caused by the CAQ government's single-minded zeal to show just how serious it is about protecting the French language. According to the college's president and CEO, Claude Marchand, the draconian one-size-fits-all fines risk killing an institution that actually promotes French here and abroad, contributes far more to government coffers than it takes in subsidies and improves Quebec's image around the world. On top of all that, Marchand argues, the main reason LaSalle College is in conflict with the language law is that it has been trying to help Premier François Legault's government meet another important objective: to fill a 170,000-person labour market shortage in the public service and other strategic economic sectors. The college is fighting the fines in Quebec Superior Court but is hoping the government will relent and come to some reasonable agreement. In the meantime, staff members told a Gazette reporter last week they are telling nervous students that it's 'business as usual'… for now. But what exactly is LaSalle College and why should the government reconsider these fines that threaten to put a 66-year-old institution out of business? LaSalle College was founded in 1959 by east-end Montreal entrepreneur Jean-Paul Morin. The original campus was in the Montreal borough of LaSalle. When it opened its doors it was essentially a secretarial school. In its first year, a dozen young women signed up to take courses in shorthand, touch typing, filing and record keeping, along with a course called 'Charm and Finishing.' The college grew, and in 1962 Morin moved his school downtown to be closer to the office jobs the school was filling. But Morin had a passion for fashion, having worked at the iconic Ogilvy clothing store and several clothing design firms during and after obtaining a business degree at Sir George Williams University. In 1973, Morin hired local fashion maven Michèle Boulanger-Bussière — best known as the longtime fashion editor at La Presse — to design and head up a new fashion faculty at the school. In 1989, LaSalle College embarked on a project to 'internationalize' by establishing the first LaSalle College International (LCI) campus in Casablanca, Morocco. The LCI network now includes 23 campuses in nine countries, including Canada (Montreal, Laval, Vancouver), Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Morocco, Spain, Turkey and Australia. These institutes are all independent, but LaSalle College students have the option of taking a few courses or even a full degree at these institutes. By the early 1990s, the college had more than 1,000 students. The school established a charitable foundation called the Montreal Fashion Foundation, which supported education and research in the field, organized fashion galas and awarded scholarships to young designers to continue their studies in Canada and abroad. Today, LaSalle College has about 4,500 students enrolled in seven faculties, including Information Technology and Engineering; Gaming, Animation and VFX; Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary; Business Management; Education and Social Sciences; and Arts, Design and Communication. Students can take courses in 65 programs, all offered in English or French. Students can do a three-year Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS or, in French, DEC), which prepares them for the job market or to continue their education at university. The school also offers continuing education for those in the workforce but looking for a change of career. These courses lead to an Attestation of Collegial Studies (ACS, or AEC in French) and generally require less time to complete. 'What makes LaSalle really unique is that all of our programs are available in French and in English. So that means our students can pick what is best for them,' Marchand said. 'At LaSalle, half the students are enrolled in our French-taught programs and half are enrolled in our English-taught programs.' The other element that makes the school unique is the high proportion of international students who enrol here. In any given year, from 30 to 40 per cent of the student body of about 4,500 students hail from countries other than Canada. 'No other college-level institution, whether in the public or private sector, welcomes as many international students,' Marchand said. And since LaSalle is categorized as a francophone institution, all of its students must pass the French exit exam to receive their degrees. 'It's amazing for the French language because every student studying in our English-taught programs must follow courses of French, courses in French and must successfully pass the (French exit) exam at the end of their studies to show they are proficient in French. Our belief is that is easier to (learn French) at LaSalle because at the cafeteria, or when we organize activities ... half of the students are already living in French. I don't want to be stereotypical, but, yes, there are couples being formed between kids in the French-taught programs and in the English-taught programs, and … they need to make it work.' The high quotient of international students is one reason LaSalle ended up over-enrolling in its English-taught programs. Law 14, formerly Bill 96, amended Quebec's language law to limit the number of students studying in English at public CEGEPs and at private, subsidized colleges like LaSalle. The law was passed in May 2022, but each institution's enrolment quotas and the fines that would be levied if those were surpassed were only made public at the end of February 2023. By that point, Marchand says, enrolment for the 2023-2024 academic year was already mostly complete, and many international students were already enrolled for the 2024-2025 year because they need to secure acceptance well in advance to obtain visas. Another complicating factor for LaSalle College was that it was participating heavily in a Quebec government program to address labour shortages. In 2021, Labour Minister Jean Boulet launched a program called 'Operation main-d'oeuvre' to fill critical gaps in the public service and certain economic sectors. Over five years, the government aimed to spend $3.9 billion to attract, train or retrain 170,000 workers, including 60,000 in essential public services such as health, social services and early childhood education, and 110,000 in information technologies, engineering and construction. 'So what the government did was encourage, post-COVID, workers to go back to school and re-qualify, and LaSalle played a key role in that program,' Marchand said. In fact, LaSalle reoriented its offerings to accept many more continuing-education students in programs like IT, early childhood education and special-care counselling so its graduates could meet needs in those sectors, including in daycare centres and long-term care facilities. The overall number of students studying in English at LaSalle has decreased since 2019, but more students are now taking continuing-education (ACS) courses in English, while fewer are taking pre-university (DCS) courses in English. The college receives government subsidies for all Quebec residents doing pre-university (DCS) degrees. In addition, the school gets a fixed sum per year regardless of how many students it accepts in ACS programs. For example, in 2023-2024, LaSalle was subsidized $9.3 million for its ACS programs. Marchand points to an economic impact study that shows the college generates $31.8 million in government revenues annually. 'We receive about $20 million of public subsidies, so we generate an excess in cash of about $10 million a year to the government,' he said. He is still hoping the government will relent and cancel the fines, noting the school will be meeting the Law 14 quotas for English-taught admissions in the 2025-2026 year. He said instead of punishing the school, the Quebec government should be using it as a model for francization and the principle of harmonious 'vivre ensemble' that politicians love talking about and for which Montreal is famous. 'We fulfil a very important public mission for Quebec society. We are not stealing from Quebec society. On the contrary, we are heavy contributors. We don't deserve any kind of fine. We deserve additional investments or recognition.'
Montreal Gazette
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: Rich list, $10M handbag sad reminders of inequalities
The big headline on the front page of last Saturday's paper screamed: QUEBEC RICH LIST. Another article published that day was about an original Birkin handbag that sold for US$10 million at auction at Sotheby's in Paris. What happened to the adage 'sharing the wealth'? The other side of the story is homelessness and poverty. I feel sad about this imbalance. Eleanor Arless, Pointe-Claire Look beyond LaSalle College Whatever the details in the conflict between LaSalle College and the Quebec government, the main source of the issue must not be overlooked — Bill 96, which caps the number of students allowed to enrol in English programs in public and private colleges. Were it not for this law that targets English institutions of higher learning, this contentious situation involving a college founded in 1959 and a government bent on exacting severe punishment in the form of exorbitant fines that threatens the school's existence would not have occurred. LaSalle College thrives and survives with the presence of international students and provides jobs for hundreds of teachers. Not only is it lamentable that this battle must now be fought in court, but it is deplorable that the government will fight it on the basis of a law that, in my view, is morally offensive. How many English-speaking students are too many? What will it take to calm the anxieties of the CAQ government over 'too much English' being heard on downtown streets? The courts may sort out the details of this specific conflict, but it is Bill 96's discriminatory targeting of English-language institutions that needs amending. Goldie Olszynko, Mile End CAQ's attacks on education I'm appealing to the Quebec government to stop its unwelcome policies that serve to minimize the value of education in our province — from the $570 million in cuts to education announced last month to the $30 million penalty that LaSalle College now faces over English-language enrolment. As concerned citizens, we remind our government representatives that their duty is to foster all possible means to encourage our youth and help them prepare their future through education. Vivianne M. Silver, Côte-St-Luc A prescription for health care Re: ' What does excellence look like in health care? ' (Opinion, July 11) A thank you to Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg for explaining with great clarity what our health care system should strive for and what it must avoid. 'In health care,' he notes, 'excellence begins with putting the patient at the centre.' Are Health Minister Christian Dubé and his team listening and taking note? Ruth Khazzam, Westmount Submitting a letter to the editor Letters should be sent by email to letters@ We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette. If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one. Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication. Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation. We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer's argument. Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or 'open letters' addressed to third parties. Letters are published with the author's full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published. We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
CBC
16-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Quebec's CAQ government accepts request for $275M to launch 3rd link project
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government is releasing $275 million for the third link project between Québec City and Lévis, according to Radio-Canada. Members of Quebec's cabinet accepted Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault's arguments for releasing the money during their meeting Wedneday, before breaking for the summer. She had requested the funds to launch the project. "This is not new money," said Jonathan Guay, a spokesperson for Guilbault's office, in a statement to Radio-Canada. "The amount has been included in the Quebec Infrastructure Plan [QIP] since 2019." Last month, Guilbault revealed the third link will consist of a tunnel and a bridge, and that her government had chosen a central corridor for the project. She did not reveal the cost of the project. According to a preliminary evaluation prepared by the Transport Ministry and obtained by Radio-Canada, the cost of the third link would land between $5.3 and $9.3 billion depending on the location of the access point in Quebec City. The estimate does not include the cost of certain studies, land acquisition, expropriation or even internal costs. The project has been criticized by Quebec's opposition parties and it's current form goes against a recommendation by CDPQ Infra, a subsidiary of Quebec's pension fund manager. It had instead recommended a $15.5-billion public transit project and several major transport solution for the Quebec City region. Guilbault has expressed wanting to progress the project as much as possible so as to make it "irreversible" by the time Quebec's next general election rolls out in October 2026. WATCH | Guilbault announces new details on transport project: A bridge, a tunnel and a location: Quebec City's 3rd link plan gets clearer, but questions remain 1 month ago Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault has confirmed the preliminary route of the third link between Quebec City and Lévis will be a bridge combined with a tunnel on the east side of Quebec City's existing bridges. Guilbault promised that she'll confirm the project's cost and the final layout by the end of 2025. Geotechnical drilling has been carried out, since last week, on both banks of the river to assess the quality and composition of the soil. The work follows a $46 million contract awarded by Quebec in February to American, French, and Canadian engineering firms. Guilbault says she'll provide a new update on the project in the fall.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Business
- 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
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
SAAQ shakeup: What's next after CEO is fired?
Montreal Watch Political analyst Victor Henriquez explains what led to the decision to fire Eric Ducharme, and how the CAQ government hopes to move forward.
