Looking ahead, Quebec’s language watchdog plans to further increase inspections, including “major surveillance operations.”
Quebec’s language watchdog ramped up its operations last year, conducting 40 per cent more inspections as complaints about violations of the province’s language laws reached new highs.
And it looks like the language inspectors’ workload will only continue to grow.
The Office québécois de la langue française revealed the figures on Tuesday in its annual report, covering April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
The OQLF attributed much of the spike to a sharp increase in complaints about alleged infractions of Quebec’s Charter of the French Language, often referred to as Bill 101.
As previously announced, the number of complaints surged by 32 per cent year-over-year, with 9,125 complaints filed in 2023-2024 compared with 6,673 the previous year. This marks the third consecutive year of record-breaking complaint numbers.
But public complaints weren’t the only factor driving the increase in inspections.
The OQLF said its heightened activity was also due to “major surveillance operations” conducted during the year.
The agency said it “proactively carries out surveillance operations on its own initiative” as part of its broader mandate to enforce Quebec’s language laws.
The surge in inspections far exceeded the OQLF’s own target of a modest two-per-cent increase.
Looking ahead, the agency plans to further expand its oversight. It aims to boost inspections by four per cent this year, 10 per cent in 2025-26 and 15 per cent in 2026-27.
“To ensure that the language rights of Quebecers are respected, the Office is increasing its presence in the field by carrying out more inspections,” the agency said.
“Thanks to this increased presence, the Office can intervene more effectively to respond to issues concerning compliance with the Charter and the protection of workers’ and consumers’ rights.”
The OQLF has pointed to “multiple factors” behind the “significant increase” in complaints, including growing concern among Quebecers about the future of the French language.
In 2023-24, the top three issues cited in complaints were related to language of service (34 per cent), commercial documentation such as websites, bills and contracts (27 per cent), and inadequate signage (20 per cent).
The promotion of the French language remains a central priority for Premier François Legault’s government, with polls showing language is a key concern for many francophone Quebecers.
The OQLF’s annual budget has grown by 61 per cent — to $39.3 million — since the CAQ came to power.