Quebec fines LaSalle College $30M for having too many students in English programs

LaSalle College has been fined $30 million by the Quebec government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs over the past two years.

LaSalle College has been fined $30 million by François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs over the past two academic years.

The college confirmed the news on Friday morning, saying it was accused of contravening Quebec’s French Language Charter, Bill 101.

• READ MORE: A better solution to Bill 96? Fund English institutions to encourage French language, culture

Its amended Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, states that the province’s CEGEPs, or junior colleges, are only allowed to enroll a certain number of students in their English-language programs.

In a letter sent to the college by the Quebec Higher Education Ministry, dated June 28, 2024, the school’s officials were accused of surpassing their allowed limit by 716 English-speaking students for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Simon Savignac, director of communications with the Higher Education Ministry, clarified to CTV News on Friday that an “English-speaking student” in this case was any student enrolled in a program taught in English – regardless of their mother tongue or the language in which they completed their elementary or secondary education.

“The Ministry of Higher Education must recover the amount of subsidies paid in excess and collect the adjustment,” the letter states.

That amount, according to the ministry, was $8,781,740.

Additionally, for the 2024-2025 academic year, the school was accused of enrolling 1,066 too many English-speaking students in its English programs.

For that, the school was asked to pay $21,113,864.

“Despite close monitoring and several warnings, it is important to note that LaSalle is the only subsidized private college that continues to defy the French Language Charter and fail to comply with the law,” said Savignac with the Higher Education Ministry on Friday, confirming that no other school in its category had been penalized.

He explained that the allowed number of students was 973 per year.

In a letter to Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry and French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge, dated Dec. 9, 2024, LaSalle College President Claude Marchand argued that the $30 million penalty imposed by the government threatened the school’s very survival.

“In all transparency, we acknowledge that we have been unable to comply with the conditions imposed by the new legislative framework regarding quotas for English-speaking students,” he wrote.

• READ MORE: Under Bill 96, Quebec will issue all birth and death certificates only in French

However, Marchand added that the college “never had a real opportunity” to discuss the situation with government officials.

“These penalties will inevitably lead to our insolvency and a default on our obligations to our banking syndicate, the [Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec] CDPQ and Export Development Canada, which will recall the $150 million granted to LCI Education,” he said.

Marchand also pointed to the major collateral damage the school will suffer, including abruptly interrupting the education of thousands of students, penalizing the jobs of 736 people, and hurting the college’s international network.

• READ MORE: Language law Bill 96 adopted, promising sweeping changes for Quebec

The college said it is contesting the fine in the Quebec Superior Court.

LaSalle College, founded in Montreal by Jean-Paul Morin in 1959, offers more than 60 programs to students.