In May 2022, the Office Québécois de la langue française (OQLF) adopted Law 14, which will come into effect in June 2025. This law requires greater inclusion of the French language in businesses operating in Quebec, particularly concerning product packaging in stores.
This measure follows the actions taken by the OQLF in 2024 as part of the francization process, during which many manufacturers and distributors were visited by OQLF inspectors and completed francization documents that serve as a guide for compliance.
Given the challenges reported by several of our 104 Quebec-based members, we initiated steps to provide you with technical support in terms of information, advocacy, and informational tools to equip you with the resources necessary to understand and comply with Law 14. Indeed, several Quebec-based members have indicated difficulties in meeting the OQLF’s requirements due to financial constraints, limited human resources, and a lack of clarity about the law. Some even received visits from OQLF inspectors two months ago without clearly understanding whether these visits were part of the francization process or related to the measures under Law 14, which are set to be enforced starting June 1, 2025.
- Information:
Bill 96, concerning French as the official and common language of Quebec, was adopted in May 2022 and has been gradually implemented since then, with major measures set to take effect on June 1, 2025. The goal of the bill is to strengthen the Charter of the French Language (also known as Bill 101). Law 14, which amends the Charter of the French Language, the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, and other legislative provisions, was adopted in June 2022 to introduce complementary legislative adjustments to Bill 96.
The francization process is a separate administrative procedure overseen by the OQLF. It applies only to companies with 25 or more employees and aims to ensure that French is the language of work, as well as internal and external communication. Its purpose is to bring businesses into compliance with the Charter of the French Language.
- Advocacy:
Pet Canada has contacted the federal government to express our members’ concerns regarding the implementation of Quebec’s Bill 96 on June 1, which imposes new language requirements for product labeling. Such legislation risks becoming a barrier to interprovincial trade, as the costs of compliance and the penalties for non-compliance are unsustainable for our members. With nearly 55% of Canadian households owning at least one pet, the costs generated by this legislation are likely to lead to increased prices for pet products and limited access to the products Canadians rely on to keep their pets healthy and alive. In an uncertain economic context—marked by tariffs and trade disputes—and in light of the federal government’s current mandate to remove trade barriers and improve interprovincial trade efficiency, we urge the federal government to consider solutions to mitigate the negative impacts this legislation may impose.
At the provincial level, discussions are ongoing with our partner, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), and a draft letter to the Government of Quebec is being sent. In Quebec, where nearly 50% of households own at least one pet, the pet care market is valued at $1.1 billion out of a total of $6 billion in Canada (NIQ-2024), underscoring the importance of the pet industry in this province compared to the rest of the country.
- Informational Support:
Several resources are available to our members through our partnership with the CFIB:
- Timeline (in French only)
- Webpage
- Webinar on Law 14 (in French only)
- YouTube link (in French only)
- Op-ed on Law 14 published in La Presse+ on May 28, 2025 (in French only)
- Print edition of the Journal de Montréal (in French only)
- Joint press release co-signed with the Retail Council of Canada (in French only)
