Towards a descriptive framework of municipal translation policies in the Canadian context

To date, translation policies in the municipal sector have garnered limited interest. This is particularly true in Canada, where only a handful of studies have been conducted on the subject. Yet cities play a key role in welcoming international newcomers and facilitating their inclusion. To this end, many of them have implemented language policies, notably over the past five years, that prioritize the translation of public-facing municipal resources and the access to translation services. These policies aim to reduce the language barriers faced by immigrants who do not speak either of the two official languages. Drawing on a large-scale field study of 21 major Canadian urban centers, this article has the following three objectives: to provide an overview of their translation policies, to identify commonalities and differences, and to propose, for the first time, a framework for characterizing and problematizing the field of municipal translation policies.