Quebec plans to increase the tuition fees for out-of-province Canadian students by approximately 30 percent, despite a recommendation from a government-mandated advisory committee to reconsider the decision. The head of the committee, Éric Tessier, stated that the group had advised Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry that the tuition hikes could hinder access to education and make the province less appealing to talented young people. The committee also believes that students should not have to bear the burden of financing higher education.
However, a spokesman for Minister Déry argues that the committee’s letter overlooks the main objectives of the tuition increase, which include rectifying the financial disparity between French- and English-speaking universities, as well as reducing the share of public funding for out-of-province students who tend to leave after graduation. The advisory committee was also criticized for sending their letter after the deadline to submit opinions had passed.
The government has set forth its plan for the fall, with intentions to raise out-of-province Canadian tuition from around $9,000 to $12,000 and to implement new regulations to ensure that most students are proficient in French upon graduation. This decision has created controversy and stirred up debates about the impact it will have on higher education accessibility in Quebec.