Bill C-13, also known as An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages, aims to modernize the Official Languages Act and enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. The bill received assent on June 20, 2023.
Part 1 focuses on updating the Official Languages Act. This includes clarifying language rights, reinforcing the government's commitment to protecting and promoting French, particularly in minority settings, and supporting English and French linguistic minority communities. The bill also emphasizes the importance of learning both English and French and recognizes the contribution of bilingual Canadians. It also adds more requirements for the use of both languages within the federal court system, to make sure people have equal access to the courts in either official language. There will also be more support for Francophone immigration, and including a Francophone perspective in government funding programs. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration will be required to create a policy on Francophone immigration. The bill also gives the Commissioner of Official Languages new powers, such as the ability to enter into compliance agreements and impose monetary penalties.
Part 2 introduces the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act. This new law seeks to protect the use of French in federally regulated private businesses, both as a language of service for consumers and as a language of work for employees. It initially focuses on Quebec, and later extends to regions with a strong francophone presence. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is responsible for promoting these rights. Employees will be able to file complaints with the Commissioner of Official Languages, who may refer complaints to the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Businesses are required to foster the use of French in the workplace.
Part 3 includes coordinating amendments to align the new legislation with existing laws and sets out the coming-into-force dates for various sections of the bill. Some sections came into force on Royal Assent, other sections come into force on the first and second anniversary of the bill receiving Royal Assent, and still other sections will come into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.