The three universities that teach in English in the province of Quebec, McGill University, Bishop's University, and Concordia University, said they want to set strategies to ensure that 40% of their students who do not speak French can speak the language by the end of their undergraduate studies.

This announcement by the three universities comes following the Quebec government's declaration of its intention to increase tuition fees at the province's universities for international students and Canadian students from outside Quebec starting in the fall of 2024.

This is what the three universities proposed in a meeting with the Premier of Quebec François Legault and the Minister of Higher Education Pascale Déry.

More specifically, the universities say they want to commit to ensuring that their students reach level six of the "Quebec scale" in the French language, which is equivalent to an intermediate level.

The universities also propose offering scholarships and other attractive benefits to students who manage to reach the mentioned level upon graduation.

The three universities argue that doubling the tuition fees for international students and those coming from outside Quebec will have harmful effects on Quebec's economy and on their income, which hinders their ability to provide high-quality services. Bishop's University even fears for its survival due to this increase.

These universities also say they recognize that the French language is fragile in Quebec, especially in Montreal, the province's largest city, and that the Quebec government should consider them an ally in protecting and promoting French in Quebec and beyond.

However, they believe that the increase in tuition fees will prevent many international students from coming to settle in Quebec and that a comprehensive approach for everyone should be prioritized to help students adopt the French language and integrate into the local culture.

The presidents of the three universities spoke about a fruitful meeting with their interlocutors. For her part, Minister Déry said she shares their opinion and expressed her relief at their acknowledgment of the decline of the French language, but she did not show openness to the idea of reconsidering the tuition fee increase.

"It is a step in the right direction. We remain firm on our principles: it is not the responsibility of Quebec taxpayers to fund the training of thousands of Canadian students from outside Quebec. We will continue our conversations with the English-speaking universities and will find a special solution for the reality of Bishop's University," Déry explained.