LaSalle College has obtained creditor protection after it was fined $30 million by the Quebec government for enrolling too many students in its English-language programs between 2023 and 2025. The college was accused of contravening Quebec’s Bill 96, passed in 2022, which limits the number of students enrolled in English-language CEGEP programs across the province. Classes were temporarily suspended three days before the start of the new school year, affecting 3,000 students. Claude Marchand, director general of LaSalle College, says this move is a result of “unfair” and “unprecedented” fines by the Quebec government. “We came here to seek creditor’s protection and to save LaSalle College Montreal,” Marchand said. “We want the semester to start as soon as possible with the 3,000 students that chose LaSalle College and that are eager to continue that journey to start or continue that journey with us.” In a letter sent to the college by Quebec’s Higher Education Ministry, dated June 28, 2024, the college was accused of exceeding its authorized limit of English-speaking students for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years. The institution was accused of exceeding its allowed limit by 716 English-speaking students for the 2023-2024 academic year, and an additional 1,066 in 2024-2025. As a result, the ministry sought to recover $8,781,740 in subsidies paid to the college for the 2023-2024 academic year and $21,113,864 for 2024-2025. “Despite close monitoring and several warnings, it is important to note that LaSalle is the only subsidized private college that continues to defy the French Language Charter and fail to comply with the law,” a spokesperson for the ministry told CTV News in July 2025. Marchand said the college was never given the opportunity to discuss the matter with government officials and that its repeated calls for talks went unanswered. “We truly believe this is unfair,” Marchand said. “It was indeed terrible news for the community this morning at LaSalle College, but they understand why we are taking those measures because it’s the only tool that we still have at our disposal.” Marchand said the college hopes to start the semester as soon as possible and reach a settlement with the Quebec government.
