If you’re an English-speaker living in Quebec, you may be able to access provincial and municipal services in English. Most of the time, you need to meet certain requirements to do so. But you can access some services in English even if you don’t meet any of the requirements.
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Important! Bill 96 has changed some of Quebec’s language laws. This article is up to date and reflects the current rules. |
Provincial and municipal services for individuals
Provincial and municipal government bodies provide all kinds of services to people living in Quebec. Here are some examples:
| Provincial or municipal service | Government body (full list in French only) |
| Social assistance payments | Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (provincial department) |
| Electricity | Hydro-Québec (public utility) |
| Waste collection | The city of Trois-Rivières (municipality) |
| Low-income housing | Office municipal d’habitation de Lanaudière Sud (low-income housing office) |
| Transit passes | Réseau du transport de Longueuil (public transit provider) |
Provincial and municipal government bodies must serve people in French by default. But they are sometimes allowed to serve people in another language, like English.
Accessing these services in English based on who you are
Provincial and municipal government bodies can serve you in English if you meet one of the following requirements.
You’ve been declared eligible to go to English-language school in Quebec
Provincial and municipal government bodies can serve you in English if you’ve been declared eligible to go to English-language school in Quebec. In other words, the Ministère de l’éducation must have given you a certificate of eligibility or special permission to go to school in English.
You don’t meet this requirement if you only received temporary permission to go to English-language school in Quebec. You can contact the Ministère de l’éducation to find out whether you’ve been declared eligible if you’re not sure.
You’re First Nations or Inuit
Provincial and municipal government bodies can serve you in English if you’re a member of a First Nation or if you’re Inuit. Also, there are different rules for reserves and regions covered by a Cree, Inuit or Naskapi land claim agreement. For example, if you’re Cree, Inuit or Naskapi, you have the right to use your Indigenous language in the region covered by your land claim agreement.
You recently immigrated to Quebec
Provincial and municipal government bodies can serve you in English for six months after you immigrate to Quebec. The six-month period starts on the date you arrive in Quebec.
Government bodies may even be able to serve you in a language other than English or French during this six-month period. It depends how much demand there is for your native language.
You had an English-only file with the government body before May 13, 2021
A specific provincial or municipal government body can continue to serve you in English in this situation:
- You had a file with that government body before May 13, 2021.
- Whenever that government body contacted you about your file before May 13, 2021, they always communicated with you in English.
In this situation, that specific government body can continue to serve you in English. But this doesn’t allow any other government body to serve you in English. Also, you don’t meet this requirement if your file was related to a public state of emergency.
Here’s an example:
- You have had a Quebec driver’s licence since 2019.
- Before May 13, 2021, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) always communicated with you in English about your driver’s licence.
- Today, you’re communicating with the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) for the first time about your transit pass. You’ve never had a file with them before.
In this example, the SAAQ can continue to serve you in English. But the RTL can’t serve you in English unless you meet a different requirement, like being declared eligible to go to English-language school in Quebec.
You’re living outside of Quebec
Provincial and municipal government bodies can serve you in English if you aren’t living in Quebec.
How to access provincial and municipal services in English
If you think you meet one of these requirements and want service in English, ask for it. This will allow the person you’re communicating with to respond in English and confirm that you meet one of the requirements. Until you ask for English, provincial and municipal government bodies must communicate with you in French by default.
Also, keep in mind that these rules say when provincial and municipal government bodies can use a language other than French. When you’re accessing provincial and municipal services, you can generally use the language of your choice if the person you’re communicating with can understand you. But they must respond in French if you don’t meet any of these requirements.
Situations where others can access these services in English
Sometimes, provincial or municipal government bodies are allowed to serve more people in English, including individuals who don’t meet any of the above requirements.
Bilingual municipalities, health care institutions, and school boards
Three types of government bodies can get special bilingual status:
- A municipality or borough
- A designated health and social services institution
- A school board
Bilingual government bodies can communicate in English with anyone. The Office québécois de la langue française has a list of bilingual government bodies on its website (French only).
Keep in mind that even though English-language school boards can communicate with anyone in English thanks to their special status, you still need to meet certain eligibility requirements to enrol your child in English-language school.
Also, designated health and social services institutions are part of the larger health care system. If you’re more comfortable communicating in English than in French, you have the right to access health and social services in English in a variety of facilities through your region’s access plan. You aren’t limited to designated institutions.
Finally, there are different rules for reserves and regions covered by a Cree, Inuit, or Naskapi land claim agreement. For example, if you’re Cree, Inuit or Naskapi, you have the right to use your Indigenous language in the region covered by your land claim agreement.
Tourism services
Provincial and municipal government bodies can offer tourism services to anyone in English.
Elected officials
Provincial ministers and other elected officials can communicate with the public in English.
Health, public safety, or natural justice
Provincial and municipal government bodies can use English if it’s necessary because of concerns about health, public safety, or natural justice.