Beaconsfield reaffirms its bilingual status in the wake of Quebec’s new language bill

MONTREAL -

Beaconsfield City Council confirmed its official bilingual status in a meeting Monday night, “as a pledge for multiculturalism, inclusion, tolerance and comprehension,” according to a press release issued Tuesday.

The Quebec government tabled Bill 96 last May, which aimed to reform the province's already-existing language law.

If adopted, the reform would restrict accessibility to English CGEPs and further enforce the use of French in the workplace, among other changes.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle says by reaffirming the city’s bilingual status, he aims to highlight “the spirit of [the] community.”

“The English and French language have both forged our society and continue to unite our community in a social environment that is inclusive, tolerant and generous, open and multicultural,” he said.

Bill 96 proposes removing the bilingual status of any municipality that is less than 50 per cent English speaking. If a municipality wants to maintain its bilingual status, it must adopt a resolution confirming it meets the criteria.

More than 55 per cent of Beaconsfield’s residents list English as their native language, according to data from Statistics Canada, so the city is not at risk of losing its status.