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ARTICLE · 07 OCTOBER 2026

Language: Doing Business In Canada 2026

McCarthy Tétrault
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Canada's language laws create distinct obligations for businesses operating across the country, with Quebec's Charter of the French Language imposing comprehensive requirements on commercial operations, workplace communications, and consumer interactions.

CanadaEmployment and HR
Véronique Wattiez Larose
Véronique Wattiez Larose
Caroline-Ariane Bernier
Caroline-Ariane Bernier
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This chapter is part of our Doing Business in Canada guide, designed to help global investors navigate the legal, regulatory and strategic considerations that affect investment decisions, execution, and long-term success in Canada.

Language

Language rules in most of Canada apply primarily to government institutions, not private businesses. Canada’s Constitution grants English and French equal status in Canada’s Parliament and federal courts. Every law must be published in both English and French in some provinces, including Québec. The federal Official Languages Act, given additional prominence by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, requires that all federal institutions provide services in either language wherever there is demand for it, or wherever the travelling public is served. Public education is available in either official language, where numbers warrant.

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