Most Montreal-area businesses complying with French language rules, OQLF survey finds

Most businesses on 3 major commercial arteries in Greater Montreal are meeting French-language signage and customer service requirements, according to the OQLF.

The vast majority of businesses on three major commercial arteries in the Greater Montreal area are meeting French-language signage and customer service requirements, according to a 2025 survey by language watchdog the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

Inspectors visited businesses along Taschereau Boulevard, des Laurentides Boulevard and the Quartier Latin to assess compliance with regulations requiring the clear predominance of French on exterior signage, as well as French-language service, invoicing and payment terminals under the Charter of the French Language.

Overall, 98 per cent of businesses offered service in French, 92 per cent had sufficiently French-dominant exterior signage, and invoicing and payment terminal compliance rates came in at 89 per cent and 87 per cent respectively. In total, 217 businesses (about 23 per cent) had at least one element requiring correction.

By area:

• Taschereau Boulevard (470 businesses visited): 80 per cent fully compliant. The street had the highest rate of businesses unable to offer French-language service, at 4 per cent.
• des Laurentides Boulevard, Laval (417 businesses): The highest overall non-compliance rate at 25 per cent, with payment terminals the biggest issue at 14 per cent.
• Quartier Latin (109 businesses): The lowest compliance rates for exterior signage, invoicing and payment terminals; overall compliance at 76 per cent.

OQLF spokesperson François Laberge called it “the first operation in this sector and of this scale.” The language watchdog says it has since contacted non-compliant businesses, with minor infractions addressed through awareness measures and more serious ones subject to required corrections.

- With files from Jennifer Gravel of Noovo Info