Updated Cost Estimate for An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages - Parliamentary Budget Officer

SummaryThe Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages requested that the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) provide an updated cost estimate of An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages, formerly known as Bill C-13 in the 44th Parliament. PBO previously published a cost estimate on Bill C‑13 in 2022. Following Royal Assent on June 20, 2023, the legislation amended the Official Languages Act (OLA) and established the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act (UFPBA). More recently, draft regulations have been released for the UFPBA and certain provisions of the OLA.

The UFPBA will require federally regulated private businesses above a certain size in Quebec and in other regions with a strong francophone presence (RSFPs) to provide the employees with the right to work in French and provide consumers with the right to receive services in French. The Commissioner of Official Languages will be responsible for overseeing compliance and may intervene where a business subject to the UFPBA does not fulfil its obligations.