Bilingual food labelling in Canada

In Canada, mandatory label information must appear in both English and French, with extra French rules in Quebec under Bill 96.

The bilingual rule

In Canada, mandatory label information must appear in both English and French. This is a federal requirement enforced by the CFIA under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and the Food and Drug Regulations, and it applies to prepackaged foods sold across the country.

What must be bilingual

The bilingual requirement covers the common name, the list of ingredients, the Nutrition Facts table, allergen statements, the net quantity, the durable-life date, and the dealer name and address. One item is treated differently: the dealer name and address may appear in either English or French rather than both.

Limited exceptions

A few narrow exceptions allow a single language on certain products — for example some local foods, specialty foods and test-market foods. These are specific carve-outs, not a general option, so a product should qualify under a named exception before it relies on one language.

Quebec and Bill 96

Quebec adds its own layer. The Charter of the French Language, updated by Bill 96, requires French and requires that French be at least as prominent as any other language on the label. A label that satisfies the federal bilingual rule still has to meet Quebec's prominence rule to sell there — LabelYog builds it from your recipe.

At a glance

• Provide the common name, ingredients and Nutrition Facts table in both English and French
• Show allergen statements, net quantity and the durable-life date in both languages
• Remember the dealer name and address may be in English or French
• Confirm any single-language claim fits a named exception
• For Quebec, meet the Charter of the French Language and Bill 96
• Make French at least as prominent as any other language in Quebec

Questions