Opinion: What if we treated out-of-province students as brand ambassadors for Quebec?

University campuses across Quebec have come alive with students arriving for a new academic year. Some of them have chosen to move from cities like Calgary, Toronto or Vancouver to study — a decision made more difficult by Quebec’s current tuition policy.

In 2023, the Quebec government imposed a steep tuition hike on out-of-province students. Though the Superior Court invalidated that decision in April, the province now has nine months to revise its policy. This moment offers a chance to rethink the province’s approach to the thousands who travel across the country to study in Quebec each year.

Instead of discouraging out-of-province enrolment, Quebec should treat students from elsewhere in Canada as potential ambassadors for the province. A thoughtful policy could transform their years here into lifelong ties that serve Quebec well beyond graduation.