Doing Business in Québec

SIGNS AND POSTERS Subject to certain exceptions, publicly displayed signs, posters and commercial advertising must be in French. They may also be both in French and in another language provided that the French text is “markedly predominant” (i.e., the French must have a much greater visual impact). The regulation defining the scope of the expression “markedly predominant” provides more specific criteria. OBLIGATION TO OFFER SERVICES IN FRENCH Persons doing business in Québec must be capable of providing their services in French to consumers and businesses that wish to be informed and served in French. However, it does not mean that French is the exclusive language of business. If they so wish, consumers and businesses may agree with a business providing goods or services in Québec to be informed and served in another language. PACKAGING AND LABELLING The inscription on a product, its container or its wrapping, or on a document or object supplied with it, must be in French. A translation is permitted, but the inscription in another language may not be given greater prominence than that in French. Exceptionally, the law allows for the exclusive use of a language other than French in the case of inscriptions on a cultural or educational product such as a book or magazine if the content is in a language other than French. Also note that as previously stated, a recognized trademark in Canada may appear exclusively in a language other than French on packaging and labelling unless a French version has been registered. Beginning on June 1, 2025, the scope of this exception will be limited to the registered trademark (i.e., listed in the Register of Trademarks).

For example, the name “Quickfix” by itself would not be acceptable. However, the name “Quincaillerie Quickfix” would generally meet the requirements of the Charter, given the use of the generic term quincaillerie (meaning hardware store). TRADEMARKS The concepts of trademark and business name are different, even though some enterprises carry on business under the name of their trademark. If a non-French trademark is a recognized trademark in Canada (i.e., one that has been registered, one for which an application for registration has been filed or one that has been established by use) and no French version of such trademark has been registered, the non-French trademark may appear exclusively on commercial signage. However, it should be accompanied by a “sufficient presence of French” when displayed on the outside of a building or premises. For instance, it could be accompanied by a generic term in French, a French description of the product or service concerned or a French slogan. The display of the French elements must be designed, illuminated and situated to make them easy to read at all times. Beginning on June 1, 2025, the scope of the exception of a recognized trademark without a French version will be reduced to registered trademarks (i.e., those that are in the Register of Trademarks). In addition, the current criterion of a “sufficient presence of French” applying to the display of the trademark outside a building or premises will be stricter and will change to the “markedly predominant presence of French” criterion. The space devoted to the text in French accompanying such a mark and the characters used will have to be “at least twice as large” as its version in another language.

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