McGill halts French-language program as Quebec increases tuition fees

McGill University says it has been forced to postpone its announcement about a $50 million investment over five years to fund programs and services to encourage its community to learn or improve their French language skills.

McGill University says it has been forced to postpone its announcement about a $50 million investment over five years to fund programs and services to encourage its community to learn or improve their French language skills.

"The larger goal of the program was to help students, faculty and staff integrate more fully into Quebec society, broadening the already extensive impact of our talent and expertise across Quebec," the university states.

McGill officials say finding funding for its investment to promote the French language was already a difficult feat.

"We were alerted by the government that changes that could affect our financial situation were coming," the university notes. "We were not provided with any details of the changes. We are currently examining the potential financial impact that these might have on the university."

The change comes just days after the provincial government announced that out-of-province and international students would be charged nearly double to attend university in Quebec.

The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government estimates that tuition for out-of-province students will jump from $8,992 to $17,000 in the fall of 2024.

International students will have to pay a minimum of $20,000.