'Catastrophic': Quebec reportedly set to impose higher French-language requirements for English universities

Catastrophic. Ridiculous. Simply impossible. McGill University's deputy provost, Fabrice Labeau, did not mince words when reacting to a media report that Quebec is going to not only raise tuition fees for non-Quebec students but also require 80 per cent of those students attending English universities to reach level 6 in French proficiency.

"Catastrophic." "Ridiculous." "Simply impossible."

McGill University's deputy provost, Fabrice Labeau, did not mince words when reacting to a media report that Quebec is going to not only raise tuition fees for non-Quebec students but also require 80 per cent of those students attending English universities to reach level 6 in French proficiency.

Those are the proposals that are currently on the table, according to a report by La Presse on Wednesday.

The press attaché for Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry did not confirm or deny the newspaper report, but said the minister will make an announcement on Thursday.

"I think it's important to understand that 80 per cent of people from outside Quebec, reaching level 6 in French is completely unrealistic. It makes no sense," said Labeau in an interview with CTV News.

Quebec's three English universities (McGill, Concordia, and Bishop's) on the weekend had made a second counter-offer to the government to modify its plans that included tuition fee increases for different disciplines and a francization program with the goal of ensuring that 40 per cent of non-French-speaking students achieve a level 6, or intermediate level, in French upon graduation.

But now it seems the government is doubling down and wanting the threshold to be higher, at 80 per cent.