Bill 96 creating chaos, frustration at English CEGEPs

The heads of English CEGEPs say new language legislation is causing chaos and confusion as they begin to sort through applications for the fall 2023 semester. 

"It's very, very frustrating," said Diane Gauvin, the director-general of Dawson college, the largest CEGEP in Quebec.

Gauvin says her staff have been frantically communicating with officials at the Ministry of Higher Education and the French Language Ministry, trying to get answers about the CEGEP's obligations under the new law. 

The law, which was known as Bill 96, imposes new language requirements on CEGEPs. It sets a limit to the number of students English CEGEPs can accept, and requires CEGEPs to prioritize students who were eligible to attend English elementary schools and high schools.

The law, officially named An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Quebec, also mandates new French courses and a French exit exam for students who don't have English eligibility — CEGEP administrators say they are racing to develop and implement the new classes.

Edward Berryman, the director of CEGEP Champlain St. Lawrence, said many questions about the new law remain unanswered. 

"There are a lot of different constants that we have to be quite aware of before we start admitting," he said in an interview.

Among those unknowns: CEGEPs don't yet know what penalties they could face if they exceed the government-mandated student limit. 

Berryman says he doesn't want to delay admissions, but if he doesn't receive clarity from the government on the exact number of full-time and part-time students his CEGEP could accept, he may have to. 

The law is sowing confusion among CEGEP applicants as well, Gauvin said. 

"Francophone students think they can't apply to English CEGEPs, which is not true," she said. They can still apply, but students who attended or were allowed to study at English elementary and high schools will be prioritized. 

Parents are also worried that the new limits on student numbers will lead to greater competition for space.

"There are so many questions and fears about 'will my kid get in?'" said Katherine Korakakis, the president of the English Parents' Committee Association. 

Unanswered questions continue to weigh heavily on parents, she said.

"It's terrible to be in a situation where you don't have information to make an informed decision that has such a big impact — not only on the family but on somebody's future," she said. 

In a statement, the Ministry of Higher Education acknowledged that some questions surrounding the law — such as the penalty English CEGEPs will pay if they surpass the number of students they are allowed to take — are under the purview of the French Language Ministry and have not yet been decided. 

"Since June 2022, the ministry has been working closely with the leaders of English-language and French-language colleges and organizations representing private CEGEPs and colleges on the practical application of the provisions of the law," a spokesperson said in a statement.