Regulatory Initiative: Review of the Official Languages (Communications with and services to the public) Regulations, Forward Regulatory Plan 2017-2019
Title or working title of the regulatory initiative
Review of the Official Languages (Communications with and services to the public) Regulations
Description of the objective
Issue
The Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations were adopted in 1991 and have not been comprehensively reviewed since. They need to be brought in line with new technologies and current sociodemographic realities.
Description of the regulation
The Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations enact Part IV of the Official Languages Act by specifying the circumstances where institutions must communicate with and provide services to the public in English, in French, or in both official languages.
The Regulations review will focus on four key elements, namely: the possibilities offered by new technologies; an estimation method that reflects demographic changes; the improvement of bilingual services in transports; and the adjustment of some provisions of the Regulations in order to reflect certain changes that have occurred through the years (e.g., government restructuration).
Enabling Act
Official Languages Act
Flag for business impacts
There are no expected business impacts.
Public consultation opportunities
In the context of the development of policy options, general consultations with the public may be conducted during Fall 2017 (to be confirmed).
Public consultations are also prescribed in s. 85 and 86 of the Official Languages Act through the publication of the draft regulations in the Gazette, followed by the publication of the proposed regulations (Spring 2019).
Departmental contact
Carsten Quell, Director,
Policy and Legislation, Official Languages Centre of Excellence, Governance, Planning and Policy Sector,
613-957-1034,
Carsten.Quell@tbs-sct.gc.ca
For more information
- Government-Wide Forward Regulatory Plans
- Government-Wide Administrative Burden Baseline Counts
- The Cabinet Directive on Regulatory Management
- The Red Tape Reduction Action Plan
- The Canada–United States Regulatory Cooperation Council
To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit the Canada Gazette and Consulting with Canadians websites.