Canada's language commissioner says the federal government is hiring "secret shoppers" to check how Ottawa businesses are offering service in both official languages.

Graham Fraser said the shoppers will be paid for with taxpayer's money and will be checking restaurants, hotels and government services for how they offer service in French.

He said he wants to get a sense of how the four million francophone Canadians who don't speak English could get served in the city.

"What this is intended to really do is get a sense of what is the visitor's experience in Canada's capital," he told CTV News Channel Friday. "It's not just federal institutions (that they visit). . . they arrive at the airport or station, they check in at a hotel, they want to go for dinner. . . there are a mixture of experiences."

Fraser said the checks could benefit Ottawa's tourism business.

"I think there's a strong business case to be made for Canada's capital to be able to do this, as well as symbolic and legal reasons," he said. "Americans aren't coming to Canada as often as they used to. . . It's all the more important that the tourism industry in Ottawa be able to attract French-speaking Canadians."

Fraser's announcement was met with mixed reaction from Ottawa residents.

"If bilingualism is a requirement, they should be able to prove that on their interview, or not get the job," one said. "(They) shouldn't be spending our taxpayer money to try to impose on everybody's rights to freedom."

"I think it's a good idea for the government of Canada to ensure people in Canada are receiving services in both official languages, because that's very important," said another.

Fraser said this wasn't related to the case earlier this month where an Ottawa man successfully sued Air Canada for failing to serve him in French.

"It's something that I've been thinking of for a long time, even before I got this job," he said, mentioning that he grew up in Ottawa. "I've always thought that it was very important that Ottawa be able to really be the capital for all Canadians."

The checks are expected to start August 22 and last until the end of September. Fraser said they don't have power to punish private businesses who don't offer adequate service in French.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Claudia Cautillo