Bill 96 brings trouble to Canadians again
Now it comes to the purchase and sale of real estate.
Bill 96 continues to terrorize residents: from now on, contracts for the sale of homes in Quebec must be in French. This provision applies to all Quebecers, even when English-speaking sellers work with English-speaking buyers. If the contract cannot be written in French, a translator must be hired. The new rule also applies to mortgage transactions.
Experts say that this not only incurs additional costs, but also delays the conclusion of contracts. Lorena Lopez Gonzalez, a notary in Quebec, expresses the opinion of many of her colleagues:
"It's extra work, extra fees for the client and extra delays. So what we used to do in two days can take two weeks."
The cost of a translation can range from $400 to $1,200 CAD, and the notary may charge an additional fee for reviewing the translation.
Realtors, for their part, fear that the new rule will alienate clients. Rebecca Sommer, a real estate specialist, rightly believes that when signing contracts for the most important deals of their lives, buyers want to feel comfortable. She says the new rule has nothing to do with protecting the French language and only drives customers into a vicious circle: the contract will be signed in a language that is not comfortable, or in English, but with significant additional costs.
The Quebec notaries association says it is working to find cheaper solutions for those who require documents in English.
Recall that the Supreme Court of Quebec recently listened to the lawyers and suspended certain provisions. Perhaps this time, too, concerned residents will be able to obtain a relaxation of the requirements.
