Blog Articles

October is Financial Planning Month, which makes it the perfect time for organisations to look at compliance not only as a legal requirement but as a financial safeguard. Today, we want to focus on Bill 96, an Act that carries very real costs — from fines and reputational damage to lost tenders — but it also presents an opportunity to invest in processes that protect long-term profitability and operational efficiency.

Bill 96 — officially An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec — makes French the clear default in business and public life. The latest updates bring tougher enforcement, new documentation rules, and operational changes that organisations with 25 or more employees now need firmly in place to stay compliant in Canada’s largest province.

For many, the most surprising aspect is how widely it applies. You don’t need a registered office in Montréal or Québec City to fall within its scope. If you employ staff in Québec, sell to Québec consumers, or partner with Québec-based businesses, these rules are likely to apply — whether your headquarters are in Toronto, Vancouver, London, New York, or elsewhere.

The U.S. Attorney General memorandum  from July 14, 2025, has marked a turning point in the country’s approach to multilingual government communication. The document, which implements Executive Order 14,224, designating English as the official language of the United States, introduces guidance for federal agencies to scale back translation and interpretation services.

While this policy is U.S.-centric and primarily affects public sector operations, its ripple effects are global, particularly for international businesses, legal teams, event organisers, and customer service leaders who operate in or with the U.S.