Bill 96 (Quebec French-Language Law)

Bill 96 formally the Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec is a 2022 statute that significantly strengthened Quebec's longstanding Charter of the French Language (often called Bill 101). It expands the reach of French-language obligations into commerce, the workplace, contracts, and notably technology. The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) enforces it, and several key provisions phased in through 1 June 2025.

Where it touches technology and AI

Bill 96 requires that software, applications, websites, and computer interfaces used in Quebec be available in French on terms at least as favourable as any other language. If you sell to Quebec customers or your dashboard, flashing tool, or AI assistant is used by Quebec residents, the French version should offer the same content and functionality as the English one. Internal work tools, internal communications, and many contracts must also be available in French for businesses operating in the province. The francization regime, which once applied to firms with 50 or more employees, now extends to those with 25 or more.

Why it matters here

For a Quebec-based operation like D-Central (Longueuil), bilingual delivery is both a legal expectation and a courtesy to our French-speaking community. It also shapes how we deploy AI: a customer-facing chatbot or LLM-driven help system serving Quebec should respond competently in French, which is one more reason teams favour configurable, self-hosted models they can tune for both official languages. Penalties for non-compliance range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, escalating for repeat offences.

This is general information, not legal advice consult a qualified professional for compliance specific to your business. See also our notes on Bill 96 and French-language AI and broader digital sovereignty in Canada.