On February 9, 2024, Ombudsperson Marc-André Dowd sent a letter to the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry. In it, the Ombudsman commented on the draft Regulation to amend the Regulation respecting financial assistance for education expenses.
Mr. Dowd applauds the fact that the new proposed definition of major functional disability (MFD) is more inclusive regarding admissible disabilities. A broader definition would make it easier for MFDs to be recognized and for people who have major barriers to studying full-time to have access to studies.
However, the Ombudsperson feels that to have their MFD recognized, students should not be obliged to prove that there are major barriers to their possible employment. Instead, assessment of these impediments should be limited to the context of the applicants’ access to studies. The Protecteur du citoyen made a recommendation for this purpose.
