Quebec’s music industry under stress as it scrambles to comply with new language law

The musical instrument industry is under threat in Quebec as the deadline to comply with the province’s language regulations under Bill 96 looms.

The new rules will come into effect in just one month and Matt Coburn, the Quebec regional district manager of Long and McQuade’s, said he’s made every change possible.

The retailer’s Quebec stores have new French signage, French product descriptions and French packaging – but it’s still not enough to satisfy Quebec’s law. He said English is the “universal language” of the music industry and getting manufacturers to comply with French labelling is impossible.

Michel Rochette, president of the retail council of Canada for Quebec, said meeting all criteria is costly and can take years.

“When Bill 96 was adopted almost three years ago, retailers were told they would have three years to comply with the rules but the details of the rules were only laid out a few months ago – companies only have a few months to comply with something that takes years to do,” he said.