Use of French in public spaces has remained stable in Quebec since 2007: new OQLF study

A person holds a Quebec flag during the Fête nationale in Montreal, Saturday, June 24, 2023. The use of French in public spaces has remained stable in Quebec since 2007, according to a new study by the Office québécois de la langue française. LA PRESSE CANADIENNE/Graham Hughes

The use of French in public spaces has remained stable in Quebec since 2007, according to a new study by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF).

In 2022, 79 per cent of Quebecers used French most often in public spaces, according to data published Thursday by Quebec's language watchdog.

This percentage is similar to those observed over the previous 15 years, "which reflects stability in the language used outside the home with people other than relatives or friends", says the OQLF in a press release.

The OQLF study is based on data from a survey of 7,171 Quebecers conducted between March and May 2022 and on focus groups to expand on the survey results.

The Montreal and Gatineau metropolitan regions have the lowest proportions of people who say they use French, compared to the other Quebec regions surveyed. They stand at 68 per cent and 63 per cent, respectively.

Montreal and Gatineau recorded the highest proportions of people using English most often in public spaces, at 13 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively.

For Quebec as a whole, this percentage fell from 10 per cent to 8 per cent between 2007 and 2022, while the proportion of people using French and English most often rose from 11 per cent to 13 per cent. The latter indicator climbs to 22 per cent in Gatineau and 18 per cent in the Montreal region.

The OQLF also reveals that the 18-34 age group has the lowest proportion of French speakers outside the home, at 74 per cent. However, this is the age group with the highest percentage of people using both French and English (16 per cent).

The study also shows that the proportion of people using French most often varies according to the communication situation. For example, it stands at 78 per cent when delivering a meal, but rises to 90 per cent when communicating with Quebec government services.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 4, 2024.