Frustration in Quebec town as Western University ends popular French program

For three generations, Marie-Michèle Barrette's family has welcomed students into their homes as part of a French immersion program in the small Quebec town of Trois-Pistoles. Her grandmother hosted students for over 60 years, and Barrette continued this family tradition last year for the first time.

However, this year, the program has been suspended. Facing a decline in the number of host families, Western University, the London, Ont., institution that operated the French immersion school, announced this month that it would be ending the program.

"There are families here who are heartbroken … who feel neglected by this institution which was a part of us," Barrette expressed. "This is personally part of my family's culture."

Barrette, who represents the committee of families advocating for the program's reinstatement, noted that the town initially believed Western was open to "finding solutions." She stated, "We felt they'd heard that the immersion school is beneficial, yes for our little town, but even more so for their own university."

"It's a great loss for us, and we're also very aware that it's a great loss for the people … who are losing this opportunity to come and learn French in Quebec," she added.

Western University declined to grant an interview to CBC News but issued an emailed statement explaining that after a thorough review, it found the program to be "misaligned with Western's strategic priorities." The statement suggested that the university was seeking another institution to take over the French immersion program in Trois-Pistoles. "Recognizing the deep roots this program has within the Trois-Pistoles community, Western has been exploring the feasibility of transitioning the program to another university whose mission and resources are better aligned to ensure a successful program," the statement read, adding that it could not disclose the name of the prospective institution.

Barrette, who grew up in Trois-Pistoles—about 250 kilometers from Quebec City on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, where the language program has been established for over 90 years—described the program as an "economic motor" for residents. She noted that it has turned the town, which has a population of around 3,000, into a hub for cultural exchange. "We're not a small community that's prejudiced because we're immersed in multiculturalism year-round, thanks to the immersion school," Barrette said.

Krystopher Weiss, who attended the program in 2013, reflected on the mutual benefits the program provided. "They would always welcome us with open arms," Weiss remarked, adding, "It's going to be a loss for the university." He also recalled that funding and budget constraints had been concerns even a decade ago. Since the pandemic, the school has lost over half of its host families, according to the program's former director. Initially, Western announced the suspension of the 2024 summer program while conducting an "external review."

Mayor Philippe Guilbert noted the palpable absence of the program. "Something was missing in the city," he said. "It has so much impact. Economic impact and social impact on our community."

Although the town was aware that the program might be at risk and had launched a campaign to attract more host families and support, the announcement of its closure came as a shock to Guilbert. "Some are frustrated, some are disappointed," he stated. However, he remains optimistic and acknowledges that the primary challenge will be creating a new program "from scratch."

"The program is not dead yet," Guilbert asserted. "We just have to face the reality that it will not be with Western University … but we will try to keep it alive with another university."