Students and staff gathered outside Lasalle College on Thursday, saying they feel caught in the middle of a dispute between the private institution and the Quebec government after the school sought bankruptcy protection and suspended classes.
The demonstration was held on what would normally have been the first day of the fall semester. Instead, students returned to a shuttered campus as uncertainty continued over the college’s future.
“We want transparency and clarity,” protesters said during the rally.
Lasalle College suspended classes after filing for bankruptcy protection earlier this week. The institution says it owes nearly $48 million to the provincial government.
College director general Claude Marchand blamed the financial crisis on penalties imposed after the adoption of Quebec’s Bill 96, which introduced limits on enrolment in English-language programs.
“Why? Because we did not get any transition period to comply with a new law,” Marchand said.
According to the government, the college exceeded its enrolment quota for English-language programs in the 2023-24 academic year and again the following year.
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The college argues students who were already enrolled in three-year programs before the legislation took effect needed to be allowed to complete their studies. It says it requested a transition period to adjust to the new rules.
“We got no transition and $30 million as a fine,” Marchand said.
The institution must also repay nearly $18 million in what the government considers overpaid subsidies.
Students at Thursday’s protest said they fear becoming collateral damage in the dispute.
Vitoria Garcia Pinheiro, a student from Brazil, said she is worried after investing heavily in her education.
“Well, I’m very anxious, honestly, because I came all the way from Brazil to study and I invested so much in my studies,” she said.
Another student, Dominique Goulet, said protesters wanted to ensure students’ concerns are not overlooked.
“I think that we’ve been forgotten in the conversation and today the goal was to make sure that we’re not forgotten,” Goulet said.
Teachers also expressed concern about their future should the college fail to reopen.
Yolande Nesseth, who said she has taught at the institution for 42 years, said she is struggling to imagine the college’s closure.
“I don’t even want to think about that. That’s not happening,” she said. “Because this institution is 67 years old.”
Quebec’s Higher Education Department says an independent controller has been appointed to oversee the file. The department said discussions between the government and the college can continue while the matter moves through the courts.
The parties are scheduled to return to court Sept. 3.
