Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 05 JULY 2012

Parlez-Vous Français? Language Requirements For Doing Business In Québec

Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Contributor
Gowling WLG

Gowling WLG

The firm The firm’s lawyers speak English, French, Russian and Ukrainian. The firm’s client base...

View firm profile
Explore more from Gowling WLG

Advertising in the province of Quebec — whether on commercial signage, in print media, on the Internet or via the tiny text on a product’s packaging — adheres to a unique set of language rules of which businesses wishing to capitalize on the country’s second most populous province must be mindful.

CanadaIntellectual Property
Giovanna Spataro
Giovanna Spataro
Melissa Tehrani
Melissa Tehrani
Author LinkedIn connections

Advertising in the province of Quebec — whether on commercial signage, in print media, on the Internet or via the tiny text on a product's packaging — adheres to a unique set of language rules of which businesses wishing to capitalize on the country's second most populous province must be mindful.

A Few Rules to Remember

The language of business, commerce and advertising in Quebec is regulated by the Charter of the French Language (the Charter) and its Regulation respecting the language of business and commerce (the regulation), and enforced by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The Charter, which dates back to the 1970s, provides several basic French language requirements with respect to product packaging and labelling, commercial publications and advertising.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

When AI Meets Copyright: SOCAN v Suno And The Broader AI Copyright Landscape

The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada has launched a landmark Federal Court claim against AI music platform Suno, alleging systematic copyright infringement on a massive scale. As Canadian courts prepare to address whether AI platforms can infringe existing copyrights and whether AI-generated works merit protection, these cases will establish critical precedents for how generative AI intersects with intellectual property law across all industries.
CanadaIntellectual Property
McMillan LLP
McMillan LLP
Article

CBSA Anti-Dumping And Countervailing Duty Investigations: Truck And Bus Tires From China – What Producers, Exporters, And Importers Need To Know

Canada has initiated anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into truck and bus tires from China, with preliminary determinations expected by November 30, 2026. Producers, exporters, and importers—including companies from Korea, Japan, and Singapore with Chinese operations—face critical September and October deadlines to submit comprehensive responses or risk significantly higher duty rates.
CanadaInternational Law
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

What Is The Hansa? From The Hanseatic League To Modern Cooperation Models

The term "Hansa" has re-emerged in modern geopolitical discourse, most notably through the 2026 Germany-Norway defence cooperation framework. This article examines how the principles of the medieval Hanseatic League—flexible coordination, shared standards, and mutual benefit without centralization—are being adapted to address contemporary challenges in defence, security, and cross-border collaboration.
GlobalInternational Law
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

Peptides In Canada: Regulatory Reality Is Catching Up With The Hype

Health Canada's recent enforcement action against unauthorized injectable peptides signals a regulatory shift that wellness companies cannot afford to ignore. While peptides dominate influencer marketing and online wellness spaces, their legal status in Canada depends on factors far more complex than social media trends suggest. Understanding how route of administration, therapeutic claims, and market authorization intersect is now critical for compliance.
CanadaConsumer Protection
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

The Warranty Of Good Working Order: New Québec Consumer Protection Regulation Takes Effect October 5, 2026

Starting October 5, 2026, Québec will introduce a new statutory warranty of good working order for consumer goods such as appliances and electronics, with minimum warranty periods ranging from 3 to 6 years. The legislation imposes disclosure obligations on manufacturers and merchants while prohibiting any attempts to exclude or limit this warranty. Businesses operating in Québec must adapt their practices to comply with these consumer protection requirements or face potential compliance issues.
CanadaConsumer Protection
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

Canadian Product Stewardship And EPR: 2026 Summer Update

Canadian governments and producer-responsibility organizations are refining extended producer responsibility programs across the country, affecting packaging, batteries, electronics, and hazardous products. Recent regulatory changes include expanded collection obligations, adjusted compliance timelines, and new enforcement measures, with significant developments in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic provinces.
CanadaEnvironment
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG
Article

Understanding Canada’s new "Productivity Mega Deduction": Broad-based, immediate, and permanent expensing

Canada's new Productivity Mega Deduction promises to slash the marginal effective tax rate on business investment to just 6.4%, positioning the country as the most competitive G7 nation for capital deployment. This permanent tax incentive extends immediate expensing to roughly 65% of capital assets, fundamentally reshaping the economics of investing in Canadian operations across manufacturing, energy, technology, and resource sectors.
CanadaTax
Gowling WLG
Gowling WLG