{"id":720049,"date":"2026-06-07T00:54:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T00:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/720049\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T00:54:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T00:54:23","slug":"quebec-language-survey-what-it-asks-why-it-exists-and-whether-you-have-to-answer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/720049\/","title":{"rendered":"Quebec language survey: What it asks, why it exists and whether you have to answer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two government surveys landed in some Quebec mailboxes this spring. One was mandatory: the federal census. The other, a Quebec language survey<\/a> sent to 75,000 randomly selected households, was not.<\/p>\n

Yet some recipients were unsure whether participation in the provincial survey was required. Many invitation letters did not explicitly state that it was optional and warned recipients they would receive followup calls if they did not respond.<\/p>\n

Readers contacted The Gazette about the survey, and the Institut de la statistique du Qu\u00e9bec says it has also fielded questions about whether participation was mandatory, along with complaints about repeated letters and phone calls.<\/p>\n

The concerns come amid heightened sensitivity around language policy under the Coalition Avenir Qu\u00e9bec government.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In recent years, the government has posted notices limiting access to English content on provincial websites and briefly proposed tying English-language health care to proof of historic anglophone status. Last week, it received a recommendation from a government-appointed language adviser to sharply limit English in online services<\/a>, which it ultimately rejected<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The language survey<\/a> \u2014 containing detailed questions about language use in various settings \u2014 has prompted questions about how it is conducted, why it was launched and how the results will be used.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n

What is the survey?<\/p>\n

The annual survey, launched in 2024 and now in its third year, is conducted by the province\u2019s official statistics agency on behalf of Quebec\u2019s French Language Ministry to assess the use of French, English and other languages.<\/p>\n

It includes dozens of questions. <\/p>\n

Most are about languages, including those spoken at home, at work, with friends and used when sending private text messages, listening to music, following the news, shopping online and posting on social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Others delve into more personal details, including occupation, household size and type, birthplace (and parents\u2019 birthplace), years living in Quebec, income and postal code.<\/p>\n

Respondents can answer online or call a toll-free number and complete the questionnaire with the help of an ISQ interviewer. It takes about 15 minutes.<\/p>\n

The survey is being conducted between November 2025 and July 2026.<\/p>\n

Why is the government conducting the survey?<\/p>\n

The ISQ says the linguistic survey will help it collect \u201creliable and objective data on the languages \u200b\u200bused by Quebecers in various contexts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The questionnaire is part of the CAQ government\u2019s intensified focus on the French language, with polls finding that francophone Quebecers are worried<\/a> about the future of the province\u2019s majority language.<\/p>\n

The CAQ has doubled the budget of the Office qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois de la langue fran\u00e7aise<\/a>, which is increasingly conducting inspections<\/a> and undercover visits to stores. The government also hired its first French language commissioner, who conducts his own linguistic probes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

What is done with the results?<\/p>\n

The French Language Ministry uses the findings in Quebec\u2019s \u201cDashboard on the Linguistic Situation<\/a>,\u201d the ISQ says.<\/p>\n

Launched last year, that web page shows key language metrics over time.<\/p>\n

Why isn\u2019t it clear that it\u2019s optional?<\/p>\n

The ISQ sent initial survey letters to households in three waves.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, there was an oversight in the letters sent in November 2025 (the first wave), and the situation was corrected at the beginning of January,\u201d ISQ spokesperson Manon Leclerc told The Gazette.<\/p>\n

People who did not respond to the initial letters received two followup letters.<\/p>\n

Copies of these letters that were seen by The Gazette also did not mention that the survey is not mandatory. <\/p>\n

And some wording could easily lead recipients to believe participation is compulsory.<\/p>\n

For example, the letters cite the Act respecting the Institut de la statistique du Qu\u00e9bec as their legal authority, giving them a quasi-mandatory tone. They also mention that if respondents don\u2019t answer, someone from the ISQ \u201cwill call you to obtain your answers.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the ISQ\u2019s frequently-asked-questions page, the agency mentions that its surveys of individuals are \u201cusually voluntary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why does the ISQ keep trying to contact people?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Failure to answer one of the three mailed letters results in phone calls from the ISQ.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The agency says it continues to contact people unless they indicate they do not want to participate.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2024\u20132025, the ISQ conducted 68 surveys, totalling 232,726 completed questionnaires,\u201d Leclerc said. \u201cGiven the volume of people solicited, it is normal that some may be inconvenienced by reminders.\u201d<\/p>\n

How does the agency know to send letters in English to anglophones?<\/p>\n

The ISQ contacts most people in French. But it sends English letters to those who prefer to receive correspondence in English from the R\u00e9gie de l\u2019assurance maladie du Qu\u00e9bec, the province\u2019s health insurance board.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leclerc said the ISQ wants to ensure the entire population is adequately represented. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe language used in communications with each selected person is critical,\u201d she said. \u201cIt allows respondents to fully understand the instructions, definitions and vocabulary used in the questionnaire.\u201d<\/p>\n

That \u201chas a direct impact on the quality of responses, the participation rate and, ultimately, the reliability of the results.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will the data be used in any other way?<\/p>\n

The ISQ says answers \u201cwill remain confidential and will only be used for statistical purposes.\u201d The agency says its ethics committee has reviewed the survey to \u201censure it is conducted in a way that respects participants and protects their dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why should you participate?<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough its surveys, the ISQ enables Quebec ministries and organizations to obtain reliable data, allowing them to make informed decisions regarding policies, programs and issues affecting Quebec society,\u201d Leclerc said.<\/p>\n

In the 2025 language survey, 44,634 of the 75,000 people contacted participated.<\/p>\n

\t\tEditor\u2019s Picks\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Profile<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tA Montreal native, Andy Riga has reported for The Gazette since 1991, covering technology, transport, business, and now politics, language and other Quebec issues.
\n
\nMontr\u00e9alais d\u2019origine, Andy Riga est journaliste \u00e0 la Gazette depuis 1991. Apr\u00e8s avoir couvert la technologie, le transport et les affaires, il traite aujourd\u2019hui de la politique, des enjeux linguistiques et d\u2019autres sujets d\u2019actualit\u00e9 au Qu\u00e9bec.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\tariga@postmedia.com
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