A Petition To Abolish The OQLF Has Gained Over 7,000 Signatures

"Fines for the use of english language will not be effective."
A Petition To Abolish The OQLF Has Gained Over 7,000 Signatures
Chicoutimi | Wikimedia Commons
Staff Writer

A petition to abolish the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is making its rounds online and has gained over 7,000 signatures in one week.

The petition comes after a series of highly-publicized incidents in Montreal involving the office dedicated to promoting and protecting the French language in the province.

Editor's Choice: Montreal Has Been Ranked 41st Best City In The World... Way Behind Toronto

“

During COVID-19 we should be focusing on building capacity in our hospitals and not further destroying the local economy.

Change.org petition

This past month, the OQLF announced it had issued a fine to Deli 365 for using English-only signage, the owner of Kitchen 73 claimed that an OQLF officer mocked his frustration, and the owner of Pâtisserie Italia recounted what she called a "disappointing" experience with the agency.

The OQLF has contested claims made by the owners of Pâtisserie Italia and Kitchen 73.

The change.org petition suggests that the recently announced $5 million in additional funding for the OQLF should instead go toward education in the province.

MTL Blog has reached out to the OQLF for comment and will update this article when we get a response. 

petition
MontrealNewsNews
  • Teddy Elliot
  • Teddy Elliot
    Teddy Elliot was a Staff Writer for MTL Blog. He was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and has a B.A. in Literature. Teddy has been a journalist for three years and was once an English teacher. His creative work has appeared in The Blasted Tree and Parenthetical Magazine. When he's not chasing scoops, Teddy can be found cheering on Aston Villa and listening to 80s power ballads. He was shortlisted for a Digital Publishing Award in 2021.

Montreal saw over 400 break-ins in April — These are the hardest-hit areas

April saw the highest single-month total of 2026 so far.

I went to Paris as a Montrealer & spent the entire trip being corrected on my own language

There is often a sense that they see our accent and culture as lesser than theirs...

CNN just ranked the world's 25 best sandwiches and a Montreal staple made the cut

Was there ever really a doubt?

An ex-Tim Hortons employee revealed a bunch of menu secrets that might change how you order

Ever wondered what's really in your Iced Capp?

I ranked 7 Canadian cities by letter grades — Montreal was the country's outlier

Montreal vs. Vancouver vs. Toronto? Round 1,000. 🥊

Quebec is considering banning energy drinks for kids under 16 after a teen's death

One family's loss is driving a provincewide push for change.

Gas just topped $2/L in Montreal — Here are the cheapest places to fill up at right now

There are a handful of spots still holding below $2.

Quebec's minimum wage just got a boost — Here's how it compares to other provinces

Around 258,900 workers across Quebec are getting a raise.

This free app shows you where you're most likely to get a parking ticket in Montreal

Some spots aren't worth taking a chance on.

This popular Montreal pool is becoming a floating movie theatre this summer

Will they be playing Piranha 3D?