Quebec’s language protection office conducted nearly 10,000 inspections in the past year as part of the province’s ongoing efforts to enforce its language regulations. Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, a total of 9,813 inspections were carried out, marking a 47% increase compared to the previous two-year period.
The office’s latest annual report, released recently, disclosed these inspection figures, which were prompted by a surge in complaints and the office’s proactive monitoring activities. Over the same period, the office received 10,371 complaints, showing a 14% rise from the previous year and a substantial 140% increase from five years ago.
The growing number of complaints reflects public concerns regarding the protection of the French language and the upholding of linguistic rights, as highlighted in the annual report. Most complaints were related to service not being offered in French in retail establishments, lack of French on commercial websites, and signage issues.
Approximately 94% of complaints resulted in businesses making corrections to comply with the law. Notably, complaints about staff not using French in stores or public services have increased significantly, now constituting 40% of all received complaints, up from 25% five years ago.
Regarding expenses, the office’s spending reached $49 million in the past year, compared to $44 million in the previous year. This represents a substantial increase from the 2017-2018 fiscal year before the current government took office. A considerable portion of the expenses was allocated to handling complaints and ensuring businesses adhered to the new language legislation.
The language watchdog emphasized its continued focus on surveillance activities, particularly in the greater Montreal area, with a target of conducting 1,200 inspections by March 31, 2026. These efforts align with new requirements under the updated language law, which mandate that French occupies twice as much space as other languages on storefront signs and advertisements.
Furthermore, the revised law now imposes stricter guidelines on the use of French in product packaging and requires businesses with a minimum of 25 employees to use French as the primary language in the workplace. Previously, this requirement only applied to businesses with at least 50 employees.
As of March 31, a total of 14,366 businesses in Quebec had registered with the language office to undergo the “francization” process, showcasing an increase from the previous year. Businesses found in violation of Quebec’s language regulations face fines ranging from $3,000 to $30,000 per day for initial infractions, escalating to $90,000 per day for repeat offenses.
