{"id":523219,"date":"2026-03-08T20:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T20:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/523219\/"},"modified":"2026-03-08T20:58:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T20:58:12","slug":"oqlf-to-send-observers-to-quebec-businesses-to-monitor-french-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/523219\/","title":{"rendered":"OQLF to send observers to Quebec businesses to monitor French service"},"content":{"rendered":"

Businesses across several Quebec cities will soon receive anonymous visits from observers evaluating whether customers can receive service in French.<\/p>\n

The initiative, led by Quebec\u2019s language watchdog, the Office qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de la langue fran\u00e7aise (OQLF), is part of a research study designed to measure the availability of French as a language of service in everyday commercial interactions.<\/p>\n

Officials say the visits are meant to observe, not punish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important to clarify that this is a study and that it is in no way intended to penalize the businesses visited. The businesses will not be identified in the research report,\u201d said Fran\u00e7ois Laberge, spokesperson and public relations advisor for the OQLF.<\/p>\n

\"\"A sign outside the bakery Lahmajoune in Montreal\u2019s Villeray neighbourhood reads \u201cOuvert,\u201d seen on March 6, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

Observers to visit businesses across Quebec<\/p>\n

Instead of formal inspections, anonymous observers will visit stores, bars and restaurants to document how language is used when customers interact with staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe purpose of the study is to assess the availability of French as a language of service in businesses. It is important to understand that this is not an inspection, but rather an observational visit aimed at documenting the linguistic situation in Quebec,\u201d Laberge said.<\/p>\n

The project is part of the office\u2019s mandate to monitor the evolution of the French language in Quebec and report on it to the province\u2019s minister responsible for the French language at least every five years. Similar studies were conducted in 2010, 2017 and 2023.<\/p>\n

\"\"The menu at the bakery Lahmajoune in Montreal\u2019s Villeray neighbourhood, seen on March 6, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

Observers will visit businesses in several regions, including Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau, Laval and Sherbrooke.<\/p>\n

In Montreal, the island will be divided into five observation zones, including areas around Boulevard Saint-Laurent, downtown west, C\u00f4te-des-Neiges\u2013Notre-Dame-de-Gr\u00e2ce, Pointe-Claire and the rest of the island.<\/p>\n

While the exact number of businesses has not yet been finalized, Laberge said many visits will take place in the Montreal region.<\/p>\n

Businesses already navigating language rules<\/p>\n

For some businesses, the study arrives at a time when language rules are already drawing attention. <\/p>\n

While this research is meant to observe rather than enforce, it has left owners uneasy about the future. <\/p>\n

At Lahmajoune, a small family-run bakery in Montreal\u2019s Villeray neighbourhood, Charbel Hannan and his family were recently notified by the OQLF that a complaint had been filed over English-language posts on the bakery\u2019s social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were kind of really shocked about this letter. When we received it, we thought it was a prank at first. And then we found out that it was a real letter from the OQLF. And we were kind of sad because we\u2019re actually following up on both languages in most of our communication online,\u201d Hannan said.<\/p>\n

The complaint noted that English was placed more prominently than French on the bakery\u2019s posts. \u201cWe were not looking for a division between both languages. We were really just showing off our family work and the behind-the-scenes of the family working together here. And we were not really concerned to put more French or English in front of one of the other language,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hannan said the upcoming OQLF visits are not a concern for his business. \u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t think it will affect us at all due to the fact that we\u2019ve been already respecting the language.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that the observational approach is preferable to formal penalties. \u201cI think sending inspectors would be a better approach to the businesses, especially the small businesses like us that are family businesses. It\u2019s less affraying than receiving a letter out of nowhere. And that looks like a fine. And you don\u2019t even know what\u2019s really going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should really take care of other problems than going after small family businesses. We are born in Quebec, kids that are born in Quebec, and we are really trying our best, even though we\u2019re not really experts in this field,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Charbel Hannan, owner\u2019s son and CEO, at the bakery Lahmajoune in Montreal\u2019s Villeray neighbourhood, seen on March 6, 2026. (Adriana Gentile, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Retailers say businesses want to comply<\/p>\n

Retail industry groups say businesses largely support efforts to protect the French language, but many face practical challenges when new rules are introduced.<\/p>\n

Michel Rochette, Quebec president of the Retail Council of Canada, said retailers understand the importance of language protections but sometimes struggle to adapt quickly when regulations change.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, we all agree that protecting the French language is a priority,\u201d Rochette said. \u201cRetailers do a lot to make sure that they comply with every detail of the regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, he said businesses sometimes need more time to meet complex requirements related to signage, packaging and communication. When Quebec adopted Bill 96 \u2014 a major overhaul of the province\u2019s language law \u2014 companies were initially told they would have three years to comply, but detailed rules were only released much later.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe specific rules were not unveiled in 2022, but late 2024. But the countdown started in 2022,\u201d Rochette said. \u201cThat meant some companies had only months to make changes that can take years to implement. In some cases, you cannot just change a signage without the authorization of the city, of the landlord, and go back to the government to have the same kind of validation. So a few months to comply with something that takes years was a bit challenging for some retailers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rochette said helping businesses adapt is often more effective than penalizing them. \u201cIf the intention is to enforce the use of French, helping businesses succeed will always be more effective than just penalizing them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Previous results show French widely used<\/p>\n

The last study, conducted between 2022 and 2023, found that French was already the dominant language used when customers interacted with businesses. \u201cNine times out of ten, the service was spontaneously given in French,\u201d Laberge said.<\/p>\n

Separate research by the OQLF also suggests language can influence consumer behaviour. About 12 per cent of customers who did not receive service in French said they would not return to that business. \u201cThat may seem like a small percentage,\u201d Laberge said, \u201cbut it represents an important share of a business\u2019s clientele.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"The offices of the Office qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de la langue francaise (OQLF) are seen in Montreal on Nov. 21, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS\/Christinne Muschi<\/p>\n

English-speaking community group raises concerns<\/p>\n

Representing the English-speaking community, Talking, Advocating, Living in Qu\u00e9bec (TALQ) has raised questions about the OQLF study and its potential impact on small businesses in English-speaking areas. Eva Ludvig, president of TALQ, said the focus on these areas could create unnecessary pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe worry about the impact on our small businesses, the mom-and-pop businesses, who are there to make a living. Many of them are run, like in immigrant areas, by immigrants themselves; they know their clientele, they\u2019re used to dealing with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that government resources could be better directed toward pressing issues like hospitals, schools, or support for vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet me be clear, we support the protection and promotion of the French language. It\u2019s very important. But it\u2019s also important not to be petty and not to really focus in on something that\u2019s really, really irrelevant. And we\u2019re doing a very costly survey when the money \u2014 money can certainly go elsewhere. We know how we are in a deficit. And we know that our hospitals, our schools, the homeless, people are suffering. And the monies can be certainly spent elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montrealers weigh language protection<\/p>\n

On the streets of Montreal, opinions about language enforcement vary.<\/p>\n

Some residents say protecting French is essential to preserving Quebec\u2019s culture and identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very important to protect our language,\u201d one Montreal resident said. \u201cIt\u2019s our culture, our language, our history \u2014 it\u2019s all the French language.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others say adapting to language requirements can take time, especially for newcomers and businesses operating in a multilingual city.<\/p>\n

One woman who recently moved to Montreal said she understands the reasoning behind language protections but believes the transition should be gradual.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do understand why they are doing this and it can be useful as long as it\u2019s not oppressive or too much,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Switching languages suddenly can be difficult for employees who primarily speak English, she added.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they should give them at least some time to process everything and to put in place what could be needed to implement French language and communication.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monitoring the province\u2019s linguistic landscape<\/p>\n

For the OQLF, the upcoming visits are meant to provide a clearer picture of how businesses interact with customers across Quebec. <\/p>\n

Laberge said the study is designed to observe trends rather than single out individual companies. <\/p>\n

By documenting the availability of French service in everyday transactions, the office hopes to better understand how the province\u2019s official language is used in public life \u2014 and how that reality may be evolving.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Businesses across several Quebec cities will soon receive anonymous visits from observers evaluating whether customers can receive service…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":523220,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194292],"tags":[49,48,2338],"class_list":["post-523219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-montreal","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-montreal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=523219"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523219\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/523220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=523219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=523219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=523219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}