Quebec has officially expanded its secularism law, in adopting Bill 9, An Act respecting the reinforcement of laicity in Quebec, a sweeping law that tightens rules around religious symbols, prayer, accommodations and institutional practices across childcare, education, health care and other publicly funded sectors. Bill 9 primarily amends the Act respecting the laicity of the state and enacts a new Act to foster religious neutrality, in particular in the public space. The revised preamble states that “state laicity constitutes a foundation of national integration” and that the framework “gives full effect to every person’s freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.”The law also clarifies that laicity is a standard of conduct for staff. A new section provides that state laicity “requires every personnel member of a body to act, in the exercise of their functions, so as not to treat a person favourably or unfavourably because of the person’s religious affiliation or non-affiliation… or because of the religious convictions or beliefs of a person in authority or the absence of such religious convictions or beliefs.”

Source: CBC News April 06, 2026 12:19 UTC