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 is working with the Quebec Produce Marketing Association (QPMA) to develop and FAQ for the fresh produce industry. Please reach out to Maeva Killah, Manager of Government Relations, at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns regarding trademark requirements under Quebec’s Bill 96.