Quebec’s Bill 9 – What Does Secularism Look Like For Religious Organizations?

What is happening with Bill 9?

On March 17, 2026, Québec’s Chair of the Committee on Citizen Relations (“Committee”) tabled the report (“Report”) on Bill 9, An Act respecting the reinforcement of laicity in Québec, 2nd Sess., 43rd Leg, 2025 (“Bill 9”) in Québec’s National Assembly (“Assembly”). The Committee made several amendments, but many of the proposed restrictions on religious freedoms remain. CCCC maintains that, if passed, Bill 9 could significantly limit how individuals and organizations express their faith in Québec.

What is Bill 9?

Bill 9 aims to reinforce secularism, also known as “laicity”, across a wide range of publicly funded settings. Bill 9 expands upon Québec’s ban on religious symbols and prohibits all religious practice in select post-secondary institutions, childcare centers, healthcare facilities, and private schools. “Religious practice” is defined as:

[a]ny action, except the wearing of a religious symbol, that may reasonably constitute, in fact or in appearance, the manifestation of a religious conviction or belief.

The example of “overt prayers or other similar practices” is provided to further contextualize the term “religious practice” in Bill 9.

Schools and Educational Settings

In private schools, Bill 9 would prohibit religious practices during regular school hours. Schools could still allow religious activities outside school hours, but only if participation is optional. Bill 9 would not apply to religious practices that take place in private residences within these institutions.

What this means for private Christian schools

Private religious schools could continue to operate, but as noted by Christian Legal Fellowship (“CLF”), they may face limits on accreditation and access to funding. To maintain faith-based activities, including religious instruction or worship, schools may need to move these activities outside regular school hours and make them optional. Bill 9 offers little practical guidance on how schools should express their religious identity in policies, curriculum, or community life.

Public Spaces and Places of Worship

Bill 9 protects religious practices within places of worship and prohibits interference with access to them.

However, organizations that want to hold religious gatherings in public spaces, such as parks or streets, would need municipal approval. It remains unclear how municipalities would assess and grant these requests.

What this means for churches and religious gatherings

Churches may face new limits on where they can gather. For example, a church that wants to hold a service in a public park would need to apply for municipal approval. It is unclear how municipalities would regulate these requests or impose limitations on group gatherings in public spaces. During public hearings on Bill 9, Québec’s Minister Responsible for Secularism indicated that some activities, such as funeral processions or collecting donations for charitable purposes, would still be permitted.

Religious Accommodation

People requesting religious accommodation would need to show that their request is sincere, reasonable, and consistent with equality rights. If the request involves time away from work, employers would consider:

1. how often the absence occurs;
2. how long it lasts;
3. the impact on job performance; and
4. fairness to other employees

When accommodation requests involve children in childcare settings, providers must ensure they do not affect:

1. the quality of the educational childcare services;
2. the educational program; and
3. the health, safety and well-being of the children

Bill 9 is broad in scope. As the Canadian Civil Liberties Association has noted, “this sweeping piece of legislation almost completely prohibits collective religious practice in public.”

What changed in the Committee’s Report on Bill 9?

The Committee’s Report (currently only available in French) introduces several amendments. These changes clarify certain provisions but do not significantly reduce the overall impact of Bill 9.

Key updates include:

• Extending the ban on religious symbols to include public service contractors (not just employees);
• Adjusting rules related to religious criteria in private schools;
• Removing childcare institutions from some segregation-related requirements;
• Requiring organizations that provide religious-based food options to offer a comparable non-religious option; and
• Allowing certain chapels at post-secondary institutions to continue operating (Concordia University, Université Laval, McGill University, and Bishop’s University).

The report also removes the requirement for municipalities to pass formal council resolutions before approving religious gatherings. While these are positive changes, the core tenets of, and therefore the concerns about, Bill 9 remain largely the same.

The Broader Context: Secularism in Québec

Bill 9 builds upon Québec’s existing secularism law, the Act respecting laicity of the State, CQLR  c L-0.3 (known as Bill 21). CCCC has previously published blogs on Bill 21’simpact on public-sector employees and its potential influence on Canadian’s attitudes towards religion.

Bill 21has drawn national attention to the religious freedoms of public-sector employees. The Supreme Court of Canada is currently hearing a constitutional challenge to the law, and specifically the legitimacy of section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, commonly known as the notwithstanding clause.

CCCC continues to advocate for the religious freedoms of Christian charities in Québec. We recently made arguments as an intervenor in a case addressing whether religious groups have equal access to public spaces in Québec, and are awaiting the court’s decision.

What Happens Next?

The Assembly will now review and vote on the Report. If the Assembly votes to adopt the Report, Bill 9 will move to the final stage of study during the legislative process. At that stage, only limited amendments are possible. After the legislative process is complete, the Lieutenant Governor must approve the bill before it becomes law.

What You Can Do

If you want to understand how Bill 9 may affect your organization, we encourage you to review CLF’s submissions to Québec’s National Assembly. We also ask for ongoing prayers for wisdom for decision-makers and for the protection of religious freedom in Québec. We will share further updates on the status of Bill 9 here on our blog.

We’re Here to Help

If you have questions or would like support, please contact our Member Support Team by phone or email.