Presentations:

Language laws and education in Quebec: a case study of English-speaking Quebecer Parents' School Choices in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Thibault Jacquemont, McGill University

In this presentation, I will share findings from a research project on how Quebec’s language laws—especially Bills 101 and 96—shape the school choices of English-speaking parents in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG) area of Montreal. Through interviews with 15 parents who are legally allowed to send their children to English public schools, I explored how families make decisions about language of instruction, what matters most to them, and how they feel about the province’s language policies.

Most parents chose French immersion or bilingual programs—not because they support the laws, but because they see French as necessary for their children’s success in Quebec. However, many are critical of these laws and feel they reduce their options. Wealthier families often have more flexibility, including access to private schools, while lower-income families feel more limited. Some parents even said they’ve thought about leaving Quebec because of these restrictions.

This presentation will highlight how language laws affect daily family decisions, how they shape feelings of identity and belonging, and how they sometimes deepen inequality in the education system. It offers a close-up look at how public policy plays out in real life for English-speaking communities in Quebec.

Parental Choice and English-Language School Enrollment in Quebec: An analysis of parental motivations and educational choices using data from the 2022 Survey of the Official Language Minority Population 

Martin Durand, Canadian Heritage, Official Languages Branch

Despite recent stability in English-language elementary and secondary school enrollment in Quebec, the long-term decline remains significant—dropping from 108,000 to 84,000 over 20 years. Yet, data from the 2021 Census reveal that 175,000 children aged 5 to 17 had attended or were attending an English-language school, representing 76.2% of eligible children. Given the role of English-language education in shaping the linguistic and economic trajectory of English-speaking Quebecers, this presentation draws on the 2022 Survey of the Official Language Minority Population to explore why parents eligible to choose English-language schools make that decision. It also compares the socio-demographic profiles of parents who choose the English system with those who opt for French. Finally, this presentation proposes strategies to raise awareness among eligible parents to reinforce the value of English-language education as a driver of community vitality.