Language Laws and Doing Business in Quebec

The Charter of the French Language makes French the usual language of business in Quebec. Most people, companies or organizations that provide products or services in Quebec, whether for profit or not for profit, have to respect the rules in the Charter or risk being fined and given other penalties. The rules cover a variety of topics, such as the language of products and services, of public communications, of communications with the government and of business names.

Serving the public 

If your company, your organization or you have at least 5 employees, you must be able to serve customers in French. This means that a sufficient number of employees on shift must have adequate knowledge of French to communicate with customers.

But you can continue to serve customers in English or another language if that’s what the customer wants and as long as they don’t request service in French.  

Telemarketing and voicemail greetings and messages must include a French version if they are used in Quebec.

Contracts with customers 

When you negotiate a contract with a customer, the contract can be in any language that you both agree to use.

However, standard-form contracts must be in French. These are contracts that are already prepared and largely non-negotiable, such as cell phone contracts, insurance policies and leases.  

You can provide a version of the standard-form contract in English or in another language if a customer requests it after receiving the French version. You can sign the standard-form contract in the language of your choice if you and the customer both agree to it.

Written publications, commercial documents, websites and social media 

Catalogues, brochures, order forms, receipts, warranties, websites, social media pages and other commercial documents must be available in French, whether print or online. You can also have a version in English or another language as long as a French version of comparable quality is available.  

You must have a French version of your website if  

• your business, company or organization has an address in Quebec, and  
• you offer your products or services to Quebecers. 

You can also have a version of your website in another language as long as a French version is available.

Sometimes, websites are used for “e-commerce” in Quebec, that is, for offering products or services to customers in Quebec over the Internet instead of at a physical store. If so, the French version of your website must include all the information that a customer needs to make a purchase. This includes information about the product or service, order forms, invoices and receipts. You can use English or another language as well as long as a French version is available. 

If a customer posts a comment on social media or on your website in a language other than French, you can reply to them in that same language. If the customer posts in French, you must reply in French. 

For more information on how the Office québécois de la langue française interprets the rules for social media accounts, see their guide “Les médias sociaux et la Charte de la langue française : Guide pratique à l’intention des entreprises” (French only). 

Exceptionally, written publications and commercial documents online and offline can be in English or another language without being accompanied by a French version 

• in non-French media, 
• when they are sent to someone who made a written request to receive these documents in a specific language,
• when they concern cultural or educational products or activities, and
• when they concern an event intended solely for a specialized or limited public. 

Products and packaging 

Anything written on a product sold in Quebec, on its package or in documents included with the product must be in French. You can add translations in one or more other languages alongside the French text, as long as the French is equally accessible and of comparable quality. 

For example, the instructions and warranty booklet for using a product can be in French and in English. 

There are a few exceptions to this rule. Notably, a product can be exclusively in English or another language if it is a cultural or educational product, like a book, a magazine or a film. 

E-commerce businesses, companies and organizations that do not have a physical address in Quebec must also respect these rules. 

Public signs and advertising 

Public signs and commercial advertising must generally be in French. However, you can use English or another language alongside the French, as long as the French is “markedly predominant.” This means that the French text needs to have a much bigger visual impact. This is achieved when the French text occupies at least twice the space of the other language. The French text must also be at least as legible and visible as the text in the other language.

This rule applies to posters, signs, stickers and other advertising that is visible to anyone in public spaces, whether the public sign or commercial advertising is located inside or outside buildings.

Sometimes, only French can be used. This is true for advertising on buses and on some large billboards, for example. 

Other times, it’s possible to use only English or another language. This is the case for  

• signs and advertising for cultural products or activities, like a play or a conference,  
• advertising in non-French media, and  
• religious, political, ideological or humanitarian messages that are not used for making a profit. 

Language of communications with the provincial government 

All goods and services provided to provincial and municipal government bodies must generally be in French. Similarly, contracts and other written communications with these government bodies must be exclusively in French. This is true for communications regarding permits, subsidies or other authorizations or financial assistance, for example. 

Under specific circumstances, the Quebec government can exceptionally use French and another language in its communications with businesses and organizations. For example, a government agency that ensures the concerns of the English-speaking community of Quebec are taken into consideration can email an organization in Quebec in French and in English. 

Rules for names and logos 

All businesses, companies or organizations that offer products or services in Quebec must have a French name. You can use family names, place names and expressions in English or another language to specify a generic term in French, such as “quincaillerie” or “restaurant.” 

You can also have a name in English or in another language, but there are special rules about when and how a non-French name can be used in Quebec. For example, a non-French name can be used alone in texts or documents drafted only in English or in another language. 

You can also use a trademark, such as a name, logo or slogan, in a language other than French in other situations.

• On products, packaging, written publication and commercial documents: A non-French name, logo, slogan or more can be used alone if it is a trademark that is recognized in usage, whether registered or not, and if no French version has been registered as a trademark. 
• On public signs and in commercial advertising: A non-French name, logo, slogan or more can be used if it is a trademark that is recognized in usage, whether registered or not, and if no French version has been registered as a trademark. It must be accompanied by a clear presence of French text, such as a description of the products or services concerned.

To learn more, see our article Choosing a Name and Logo for Your Business or visit the website of the Office québécois de la langue française (French only). 

Consequences of non-compliance 

Anyone who suspects you’re not following the rules in the Charter of the French Language can file a complaint with the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The OQLF can also inspect your business, company or organization or ask you questions at any time.  

The OQLF can issue you a warning to follow the rules within a certain timeframe. You can contest a warning before the Tribunal administratif du Québec within 30 days of receiving it.

If you don’t follow the rules within the specified timeframe, you could be fined between $3,000 and $30,000 for each day that the offence continues. The fine is doubled for a second offence and tripled for any additional offence.

The OQLF can also ask a court to order the removal or destruction of any poster, sign, advertisement or billboard that doesn’t follow the rules.

If someone suffered harm because of a contract that doesn’t follow the rules, they could ask a court to cancel the contract or parts of it. This would reverse anything that was done based on the cancelled contract, such as payments or transfers of property. Alternatively, the individual or business who suffered harm could instead choose to ask the court to reduce their responsibilities in the contract, like lowering the amount they must pay. The court can also order anything else it deems appropriate.  

Exceptionally, if you repeatedly break the rules despite receiving warnings and fines, the government could suspend or revoke any of your permits or authorizations. This decision can be contested before the Tribunal administratif within 30 days.