Quebec Bill Tightens Religious Restrictions, Muslims Fear Greater Exclusion

Proposal extends limits on religious symbols and public worship, with Muslim communities warning of rising exclusion

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Quebec has unveiled a new bill that broadens the province’s restrictions on religious expression in public life, expanding limits first imposed under its controversial 2019 secularism law, Bill 21.

The new legislation Bill No. 9, seeks to extend bans on visible religious symbols and tighten rules on religious accommodation across several public-facing sectors, including childcare centres, higher education, subsidised private schools and private health-care institutions that receive public funding.

While the government says the bill is aimed at clarifying and strengthening “religious neutrality,” much of the debate has centred on its potential impact on Muslim communities, especially women who wear the hijab, niqab or burqa.

Under the expanded provisions, students in higher education and parents accessing childcare services must keep their faces uncovered when receiving services. Muslim advocacy groups say the measure will further limit the mobility and access of niqab-wearing women, deepening barriers in education and public life.

The proposed prohibitions would also apply to Christians, Jews and others wearing religious symbols such as kippahs or crucifixes, but analysts note that Muslim women, already disproportionately impacted by Bill 21, would be the most affected.

One of the most contentious changes is a ban on using public roads and parks for “collective religious practice” without municipal authorization.

Although framed as a universal measure, critics say the clause is likely to affect Muslims who gather for outdoor prayers, especially during Eid, Ramadan night prayers or community events where indoor spaces are limited. Community leaders warn that the requirement for permits could introduce new bureaucratic hurdles that restrict freedom of worship.

The bill also bars public institutions from exclusively serving religiously prescribed diets, a shift that could complicate access to halal meals in schools, hospitals and care facilities unless alternative arrangements are made.

In another significant change, the government plans to phase out public funding for private religious schools that hire staff or admit students based on faith, or that teach religious material as part of their core curriculum. Muslim education providers say this could undermine their ability to sustain community-based learning environments.

Perhaps the most far-reaching amendment is a new standard for religious accommodation.

Where Canadian law previously required institutions to demonstrate “undue hardship” before rejecting a request, Bill 9 replaces this with a lower threshold of “more than minimal hardship.” Legal experts say this could dramatically shrink the space for Muslims seeking prayer breaks, modesty accommodations, halal options or flexible scheduling.

The motion to introduce Bill 9 passed unanimously with 92 votes in Quebec’s National Assembly. The bill now moves to committee for public hearings, further debate and a final vote.

Muslim organisations across the province say the legislation risks deepening marginalisation at a time when anti-Muslim incidents remain a concern. Rights advocates accuse the government of entrenching a two-tier citizenship model in which expressions of faith, particularly Islamic identity are discouraged or penalised in public life.

The Quebec government insists the bill simply strengthens secularism and preserves equality. But for many Muslims in the province, the proposed changes signal a tightening of restrictions that could reshape education, worship and everyday social participation for years to come.

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