Quebec Bill Aims to Impose New French Language Requirement On Streaming Services

Photo Credit: Sylvain Roy Roussel/CBC

On May 21, Quebec’s Culture and Communication Minister Mathieu Lacombe introduced Bill 109 in Quebec’s National Assembly, which would require all online platforms to make French-language content more available and accessible to users. 

The bill is described as “an act to affirm the cultural sovereignty of Quebec and to enact the Act respecting the discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital environment.” It would apply to every digital platform that offers audiovisual content, music, audiobooks, or podcasts within Quebec, and it would impose quotas on the amount of French content featured on these digital platforms. Impacted platforms would include Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, and YouTube. It would also affect manufacturers of smart TVs and connected devices. 

However, the Act offers an exception to social media and digital platforms who primarily promote Indigenous content. 

“This is the bet we are making, that is to say, to ally ourselves with the French-speaking community because [protecting French] is a common fight after all,” said Lacombe in a press conference. 

In an interview with CBC/Radio-Canada, Lacombe explained that increasing the “discoverability” of French content online would further his government’s efforts to protect the French language. “Discoverability means being able to stumble across something, to discover it when you weren't actively looking for it,” Lancombe explained.

According to Lacombe, only 8.5 per cent of music listened to in Quebec is French, which is “very little.” He wishes to reverse this trend for Quebec’s youth.

Any online platform that refuses to comply with the Act will be met with varying penalties and fines. These fines could reach up to $50,000 for individuals and $300,000 for corporations or organizations. 

The Act also allows Quebec’s Culture and Communication Minister to enter negotiations with a digital platform where “substitute measures” may be taken to fulfill the obligations of the Act. However, companies’ alternative measures must still align with the Act’s benchmarks for French language promotion.

One critic of Bill 109 is Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law. He warned that added provincial regulations and fees may pressure streaming platforms to exit the Quebec market, leaving residents without access to these services. He cautioned that streaming services may choose to cut non-French content to meet the proposed language quotas, leaving Quebec-based subscribers with less options.