Quebec’s New Bill 9 Sparks Alarm Over Sweeping Restrictions on Religious Freedoms

Quebec’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government has tabled Bill 9, a sweeping new piece of legislation that would significantly expand the province’s secularism regime—prompting immediate concern from civil-rights groups, Muslim organizations, and legal experts who warn it represents one of the most far-reaching rollbacks of religious freedoms in recent Canadian history.

According to reporting in the Montreal Gazette and other outlets, the bill would ban outdoor group prayers, prohibit religious symbols such as the hijab in daycares, colleges, and universities, shut down institutional prayer rooms, heavily restrict religious dietary accommodations such as halal meals, and remove public funding from private religious schools that continue faith-based instruction or admissions.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) said it is already preparing for potential legal action.

As Montreal Gazette reported, the organization “is considering legal challenges” to the bill’s measures, many of which target Muslim communities and other religious minorities.

Far-Reaching Daily Impacts

If passed, Bill 9 could reshape everyday life for thousands of Quebecers:

• Employees in daycares, CPEs, private schools, colleges, and universities would be barred from wearing religious symbols—including the hijab, turban, kippah, or crucifix.
• Public prayer, including outdoor group prayers on streets, sidewalks, or in parks, would be prohibited.
• Prayer rooms in public institutions, including universities and colleges, would be shut down.
• Halal and kosher meals could no longer be offered as full menu options in public institutions such as daycares, hospitals, or schools.
• Religious private schools receiving public funding would have three years to eliminate faith-based hiring, admissions, or instruction—or lose accreditation.

Critics say these measures will force many people, especially Muslim women, to choose between their livelihood and their faith.

The bill would effectively block observant Muslims from entering childcare, education, and other public sectors unless they abandon visible aspects of their religion.

Outdoor Islamic weddings and religious gatherings could become impossible.

Even basic religious accommodations—such as serving halal food at public events or institutions—may be severely restricted.

Legal Shielding Through the Notwithstanding Clause

The CAQ government has announced it will use the Notwithstanding Clause to protect Bill 9 from constitutional challenges—mirroring the strategy used to defend Bill 21, which bans many public servants from wearing religious symbols, including the hijab.

Bill 21 is currently being fought at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Civil-rights advocates argue that invoking the clause pre-emptively is an abuse of power that undermines Canadian democracy by shielding discriminatory laws from judicial oversight.

“This is another assault on our Charter-protected freedoms,” advocates warn. “Quebec is once again using the Notwithstanding Clause to suspend fundamental rights instead of justifying its actions in court.”

A Disproportionate Impact on Muslim Communities

While the bill affects all religious groups, Muslim communities—especially women—are expected to bear the brunt.

Visible Muslim women have already been disproportionately impacted by Bill 21; Bill 9 doubles down, extending restrictions into early-childhood education, higher education, and public spaces.

“These measures will make Quebec an increasingly hostile place for people of faith,” said community organizers. “They threaten employment, education, family life, and the ability to practice religion freely.”

A National Call to Action

The NCCM and other organizations say the fight is far from over.

“We are already at the Supreme Court fighting Bill 21,” advocates stated. “We will not stop fighting this new bill.”

Community groups are urging leaders across Canada to speak out.

“We call on every political and civic leader in this country to stand up for individual freedoms. No province should be allowed to strip rights from its minorities under the guise of secularism.”

As the bill moves into legislative debate, national attention is intensifying—along with concerns that Quebec’s new measures could set a dangerous precedent for curtailing freedom of religion across Canada.