Montreal, May 28, 2025 – As new language obligations stemming from Bill 96 are set to take effect on June 1, the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) are making a clear appeal: grant Quebec businesses a reasonable implementation period, in line with the government’s original commitment.
The two organizations signed an open letter on the subject this morning.
“The last thing we want is to criticize a measure aimed at protecting the French language. On the contrary, we want to defend, promote, and help it flourish. But to achieve that, we need to provide retailers with a clear and realistic path forward,” says Michel Rochette, RCC President for Quebec.
When Bill 96 was introduced, in 2022, a three-year transition period was promised. However, the concrete rules were only released in the summer of 2024. This leaves businesses with just a few months to adapt to heavy requirements, particularly regarding signage, municipal authorizations, validation by the OQLF, and the management of cultural, specialized, and short-shelf-life products.
For SMEs, the expanded francization process – now including companies with 25 to 49 employees – remains a real headache. Despite a pilot project, no simplified pathway has been implemented. Completing a 20-page Word form can take up to 54 hours of work. Yet, according to the OQLF, 63% of certified businesses did not even have to modify their language practices.
Retail chains – both large and small – must make changes across dozens or even hundreds of branches, leading to significant costs, some already amounting to millions of dollars. Meanwhile, online sales platforms based outside Quebec face no equivalent constraints. This inequity threatens the competitiveness of local businesses that are complying with the rules.
“It’s not by imposing unrealistic timelines that we strengthen the French language – it’s by focusing on clarity, predictability, and encouraging businesses to embrace a meaningful collective project,” emphasizes François Vincent, CFIB Vice-President for Quebec.
The RCC and CFIB are calling on the government to grant a reasonable implementation deadline, in the spirit of what was originally promised, and to fully play its role as a facilitator and supporter.
“French is a shared treasure. It should be a source of pride and growth. To remain so, we must bring people together, not divide them. There’s still time to act with coherence and fairness,” they conclude.
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About Retail Council of Canada
About Retail Council of Canada
Founded in 1963, RCC is the Voice of Retail™ in Quebec and Canada. It brings together a diversity of retailers, ranging from large national chains to independent businesses, covering all retail sectors. RCC’s membership includes more than 54,000 businesses across Canada, including 18,000 in Quebec. retailcouncil.org.
About the Canadian Federation of Independent Business
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
Information:
Francis Mailly
VP, Public Affairs
Retail Council of Canada
Cell.: 514 891-2617
fmailly@cccd-rcc.org
Maud Larivière
Senior Advisor, Public Relations
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Cell.: 514 817-0228
affaires.publiques@fcei.ca
