Update on Bill 96 regulations and trademark requirements in Quebec
New regulations impacting trademarks in Quebec (under Quebec Bill 96) require companies to translate certain information in trademarks on consumer labels to French. This regulation is in addition to the already existing regulations in Quebec that require all information on packaging (some exceptions apply) to be translated to French.
As of June 1, 2025, if a generic* or descriptive** element is included in the trademark of a label, it must appear in French on the product in proportions equivalent to those in the other language (e.g. same type height, same font, colours etc.) Elements that are not descriptive or generic in nature may remain in another language.
- *Generic: One or more words describing the nature of the product, excluding the company name or brand name
- **Descriptive: One or more words describing the characteristics of the product (e.g. ingredients, colour, fragrance, or other product characteristics), excluding the company name or brand name
CPMA in collaboration with the Quebec Produce marketing Association (QPMA) has developed an FAQ for our members. Please note, however, that the FAQ remains a working document, as CPMA and QPMA continue to advocate on behalf of the fresh fruit and vegetable sector to address ongoing labelling concerns and potential compliance challenges. For questions, please contact the Manager of Advocacy, Maeva Killah at [email protected].