As of Feb. 27, both McGill and Concordia University have dropped their legal battles against the Quebec government’s out-of-province tuition hikes. The decision was made in light of a January 2026 decision by the Quebec government that maintained tuition hikes for new out-of-province students studying at English universities by 33 per cent—from around $9,000 CAD to $12,600 CAD—despite a Quebec Superior Court ruling that found the hike “unreasonable.” Originally introduced in October 2023, the Legault government stated that the tuition increase aims to safeguard the French language and limit the number of students in the province who do not speak French. Since 2020, McGill’s undergraduate out-of-province population has remained steady, from around 22 to 25 per cent.
In a written exchange with The Tribune, McGill’s Media Relations Office (MRO) wrote that McGill does not believe the Quebec government’s response to the tuition hike has properly respected the 2025 ruling. Nonetheless, McGill has decided to discontinue the legal battle after careful consideration.
“Further litigation would undermine its objectives of strengthening local engagement and advancing partnerships that contribute to the vitality of the Québec society,” the MRO wrote. “McGill will continue to work with the Government of Québec to ensure predictability, stability, and transparency in the rules governing higher education.”
The MRO asserts that McGill is committed to investing in Scholarships and Student Aid to ensure students have proper access to financial support and resources to succeed in their studies.
However, recent changes have led out-of-province students to question how welcoming McGill is to non-Quebecois Canadians. Students have expressed concern not only about the immediate financial implications of the tuition hike, but also its broader impact on accessibility, diversity, and belonging.
In an interview with The Tribune, Faye Dryden, a U3 Environment student from British Columbia, explained that the policy would cause significant financial strain, particularly in the context of limited scholarships, for out-of-province students.
“If the tuition increases had been in place when I applied, it is likely I would have reconsidered accepting my admissions offer and gone to my second choice school,” Dryden said. “It is important that McGill provides equal opportunity for people from around the world to have access to the quality of education provided by the school.”
Alyssa Volante, a U2 Science student from Ontario, similarly emphasized in a written statement to The Tribune that the increased tuition costs would have changed her decision to attend McGill. She noted that comparable institutions in Ontario would have been more financially reasonable, highlighting broader concerns about the way the policy shapes students’ sense of belonging.
“There are many great universities in Ontario, where I’m from, and such a steep increase in tuition wouldn’t have been worth it for me,” Volante said. “Raising the tuition eliminates a whole group of students that can make great contributions to McGill but don’t come because they can’t afford it. Having lower tuition allows McGill to accept the brightest students [….] I’m from one province over and I’m already made to feel like I don’t belong.”
In an interview with The Tribune, Emma Harden-Wolfson, assistant professor in the Department of Integrated Studies in Education, highlighted that McGill’s decision to drop the legal challenge may not stem from one motive alone. She noted that the university has already demonstrated a willingness to invest heavily in legal battles.
“It seems an interesting argument to make that the cost is the reason for discontinuing the legal challenge,” she said. “I’m sure it’s part of the situation, but I feel like it’s not all.”
Harden-Wolfson situated the decision within a broader structural context, pointing to the increasing normalization of differential tuition models. While Quebec’s policy has drawn particular attention, she emphasized that similar approaches exist elsewhere.
“Perhaps what this means is that this is something that will become more common across Canada in the future,” she said. “We already see a differential sense of belonging among all kinds of students.”