The Quebec student strike of 2012, sometimes referred to as 'Maple Spring,' began as a protest of the Quebec government's $325-a-year, five-year tuition increases, which were formalized in the March 2011 budget. The move would see university fees rise about 75 per cent over the next five years to about $3,800 a year. While that would still leave Quebec with some of the lowest tuition rates in the country, protesters say they're fighting for principles. The strike officially got under way on February 13, 2012. By the end of March, it involved 193,000 students and 171 student associations. The Quebec strike garnered international attention and a fair amount of criticism.