Effective June 01st, 2025, Quebec will enforce amendments to the Charter of the French Language (Bill 96), requiring stricter French-language usage on packaging and signage of establishments and businesses in commerce.
All business signage—both internal and external—must be either fully in French or predominantly if another language is used.
Terms or expressions that are registered as trademarks and are included on packaging must also include French translations. Regarding the deadline for complying with the new measures, a grace period allows non-compliant products manufactured before June 01st, 2025 to remain on the market until June 01st, 2027.
The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) will oversee the correct enforcement of the measures, and businesses failing to comply may face daily fines ranging from $3,000 to $90,000.
