By Annabelle McIntosh – Opinions Editor 

On Friday, Oct. 13, Quebec’s government announced that they plan on increasing tuition costs for new out-of-province students starting in fall 2024. The government wants to implement this in order to protect the French language. This is a decision that has left many Bishop’s students shocked and worried for the future of their school. I believe that this tuition increase is concerning and can negatively impact Bishop’s University in many different ways. 

Based on 2021-2022 statistics, Bishop’s is home to just under 3000 students. Approximately 50 per cent are from Quebec, 31 per cent from out of province and 19 per cent are from other countries. 

Right now, tuition for out-of-province students is approximately $9,000 a year. As of fall 2024, this will increase to around $17,000 a year. This is a significant jump in price. For reference, the average tuition for Canadian students is $6,463 a year. The savings that this hike creates for the Quebec government will be going back into French university funding. 

With a tuition hike this large, there is no doubt that many out-of-province students will not be able to afford coming to Quebec to study. I know if this would have happened when I was applying to university, there would have been no way I would have even considered this school. This is going to be a barrier that many potential students are going to face. In my opinion, this would negatively impact Bishop’s as they could be losing a very large portion of their student body within the next few years. The news and debate itself is enough to make out-of-province students feel unwelcome. 

At the end of the day, are out-of-province students really a threat to the French language? Coming to study in Quebec presents a great chance to learn more about French culture. I took a French language course and had many opportunities to practice. Many other people I know from out-of-province have also taken this opportunity to embrace the language. 

In the email from Principal Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, he stated that he is in contact with Minister Pascale Déry in hopes of finding a solution and protecting our beloved university. As an out-of-province fifth year student, it is really disappointing to hear this news and think of the effect this would have on the university. The thought of all the students outside of Quebec who might not get to have the Bishop’s experience due to this change is heartbreaking.