‘We will continue to act to reach true equality between English and French in this country’
The federal government has tabled draft regulations that would implement the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and set out “the implementation of the new rights of consumers and employees, and the new obligations of employers regarding the use of French within federally regulated private businesses."
The regulations were tabled in Parliament by Marc Miller, minister of Canadian identity and culture and minister responsible for official languages.
According to Ottawa, the regulations are intended to “create work environments that reflect and respect Canada’s cultural and linguistic diversity and make it possible for employees and consumers to communicate and work in French.” The department said the move marks “a key step in the process of achieving true equality of Canada’s two official languages.”
Recently, Air Canada announced its president and CEO Michael Rousseau would step down by the end in 2026, just days after a fatal runway collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport and backlash over his English‑only video message of condolence.
Coverage of the legislation
“These draft regulations are a crucial step toward guaranteeing Francophone and Francophile workers and consumers the right to work and receive services in French, while clarifying the responsibilities of businesses,” Miller said. “We will continue to act to fully implement the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and reach true equality between English and French in this country.”
The regime will apply to federally regulated private businesses as defined in section 2 of the Canada Labour Code which typically include telecommunications companies, banks, interprovincial transportation companies, though some exclusions will apply.
Once the Act and its regulations come into force by decree, the rules will first apply in Quebec and then, two years later, in “regions with a significant Francophone presence.” Canadian Heritage said the regulations specify:
- the list of regions with a significant Francophone population
- the minimum number of employees required for a business to be subject to the Act
- the rules regarding the provision of services and signage
- the rights of employees to work in French
- administrative obligations for businesses
- possible exemptions for certain sectors or specific activities
Employer duties and employee rights
The regulations form part of a broader reset of federal language policy. An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages received royal assent on June 20, 2023, and the government is now moving ahead with implementation, including regulatory measures the department described as “essential tools for bringing about language reform.”
The language regime is supported by the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection‑Promotion‑Collaboration, which Canadian Heritage says “recognizes the significant social, economic and cultural value of official languages” and the situation of official‑language minority communities. The Action Plan provides for “investments of more than $4.1 billion over five years, the largest amount of funding ever allocated by a government for official languages,” according to the department.
The draft French‑language rules arrive as Ottawa is also strengthening enforcement tools in specific sectors. In November 2025, the federal government announced that it had tabled draft regulations for the Commissioner of Official Languages to “impose administrative monetary penalties on certain entities in the passenger transportation sector that are subject to the Official Languages Act.” Those draft penalty regulations were published in Part I of the Canada Gazette on March 7, 2026, to allow Canadians and stakeholders to comment before final adoption.
