History

From an East Montreal family, Jean-Paul Morin founded LaSalle College in 1959. This Canadian entrepreneur's mission is to create job opportunities for the Quebec population by providing education that is in line with job market demands.

It all starts in the LaSalle borough of Montréal, which gave the College its name. In response to the growing demand in administrative labour at the time, the College offers its first program in secretarial training. The school taught the famous Speedwriting method, along with Nancy Taylor’s charm and finishing course.

On the lookout for the latest pedagogical trends, Mr. Morin went from innovation to success, continually adding more programs through the years. He moved to downtown Montreal in 1962. Passionate about fashion and driven to innovate, Jean-Paul Morin created the first fashion school in Canada in 1973. Its reputation continued to grow, to become the largest fashion school in the country.

Thanks to his passion, dedication and generosity, he revolutionized the private college sector and opened the door for the development of the fashion industry. At the time, there was a palpable desire for change within Quebec society. This young entrepreneur set the mission to provide the population with career opportunities through teaching that was adapted to market needs.

In 1981, the ministère de l’Éducation du Québec officially recognizes the College as an educational establishment. The 90s up until now represent steady expansion of the educational network to countries around the world along with the establishment of satellite services that cater specifically to the needs of its growing student body.

In 1989, the very first international affiliate was founded in Casablanca, Morocco. Present today on 5 continents, the LCI Education network consists of 23 select higher education institutions, and some 3,000 employees offering instruction to over 17,000 students throughout the world each year. From one country to the next, LCI Education favors the harmonization of its programs, which makes for greater flexibility, better control over the quality of its services, and deeper respect towards the various cultures it works with.

LaSalle College continues to connect its students to the realities of the workplace. From secretarial courses back in 1959 to the opening of La Classe Restaurant (formerly called the Fucshia) in 1996 for students in Professional Cooking and Food Service Management, the College raises the bar in private vocational training. A most recent addition, the LaSalle des Petits Daycare, collaborates with the Early Childhood Education and Special Care Counselling programs to offer aspiring early childhood educators a closer look at the profession.

LaSalle College is proud to be a member and key participant in the Association des Collèges Privés du Québec. Every year, ACPQ awards the AURA prize to students, as well as honourable mentions like the prestigious Builders Award, given to LaSalle College’s director, Mr. Jacques Marchand, in 2013 for the unifying and entrepreneurial leadership that drives him to constantly innovate.

Since its modest beginnings in 1959, LaSalle College has continually positioned itself at the forefront of education, training the generation that will shape tomorrow’s world. In 2019, LaSalle College celebrated 60 years of innovation, entrepreneurship and openness to the world!

Starting with 12 students in 1959, the College passed the 1000-student mark in 1979 and reached 4000 students in 2019. A number of well-known figures have been educated by LaSalle College: Marie Saint Pierre, Denis Gagnon, Jérôme C. Rousseau, Markantoine, Annie Horth, Fisun Ercan, Thomas Tait, Mariouche Gagné, Marie-Claude Pelletier, Simon Bélanger (UNTTLD), Oscar Mendoza and Victor Charlebois, just to name a few.

Since it was founded, LaSalle College has offered programs focused on developing relevant skills for the job market. To strengthen this diversified catalog, LaSalle College is proud to integrate all of Inter-Dec College’s programs under its banner, including the interior design, digital arts, video games and beauty programs. These creativity-focused programs perfectly align with job market needs in Laval and in Montréal, the latter being designated as a creative city by UNESCO.