Montreal mayor questions Quebec's tuition hike as English universities see drop in applications
Applications for Concordia and McGill universities are down as Quebec plans to push ahead with the tuition hikes for English universities.
Fewer students from out of the province are applying compared to last year, and on Wednesday, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante questioned the reasoning behind the province's controversial plans.
At McGill, applications for out-of-province students are down 22 per cent, and down 7 per cent for international students.
Meanwhile, at Concordia, applications for Quebec students are down 5 per cent. It's much higher for out-of-province student, at 27 per cent. International student applications are down 10 per cent.
"It's hugely concerning. And unfortunately, it's pretty much what we had forecasted and tried to explain to the government in the fall when they were announcing their intention to increase increase the tuition," said Concordia president Graham Carr.
Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry is urging caution because applications and enrollment are different.
"We're talking about right now, it's the admissions. There's a limit, a March 1st for the admissions, and then we have to see the registrations. So we need to make sure we all be prudent with the numbers. I'll make sure we see the numbers eventually with the [enrollments," the minister said.
But Carr says this decline is unprecedented.
"It's hard to imagine something coming up in March that's going to overcome a 27 per cent gap. You know, if we were talking about a gap of 2 or 3 per cent, and that's the kind of the normal fluctuation that we might see in a registration cycle from one year to the next," he said.
Quebec plans to move forward with a $3,000 tuition hike for out-of-province students despite an expert committee recommending against a tuition increase.
"Just the money aspect we disagree on, we disagree that the student has to pay more to come here to an English university than a French university," said Eric Tessier, president of the Comité consultatif sur l'accessibilité financière aux études (CCAFE).
Mayor Plante says with Bishop's University receiving an exemption, these tuition hikes feel like an attack on Montreal.
"I don't understand why the government would decide to leave Bishop's out of this bill, but it will apply to Montreal's universities. I don't understand. I need to have an explanation. Like, why?" the mayor said Wednesday.
Déry says she will continue working with both universities.
McGill and Concordia have announced scholarships to offset the tuition hikes but both schools expect to lose tens of millions of dollars as a result of the government's plans.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Luciano Benetton says he's stepping down as chairman of family-run brand as losses top US$100 million
Luciano Benetton, a co-founder of the apparel brand, announced he was stepping down as chairman in an interview published on Saturday with Milan daily Corriere della Sera. He blamed current management for losses of 100 million euros (US$108.5 million) that he discovered last year.
Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.
How to keep insects out of your house, according to an entomologist and other experts
Now that temperatures have warmed up even more this spring, you may be anxious at the thought of bugs invading your home or you may already be battling the pests. Here are expert tips on how to keep them away.