Dieppe city councillors are offering a tepid response to a call for more bilingual signs in the francophone city in southeastern New Brunswick.

A group of citizens came to City Hall with a 4,000-name petition on Monday night demanding a bylaw to force businesses to advertise in French and English.

Martin Leblanc-Rioux, who has spearheaded the petition drive, said more than 80 per cent of Dieppe's population is francophone but slightly more than half of all retail signs on businesses include French.

So he wants the city to pass a bylaw to make sure all signs are bilingual.

The language controversy erupted in late November when Leblanc-Rioux started circulating the petition. Despite the advance warning before Monday night's council meeting, the municipal politicians say they're in no rush to act on the petition.

'I think [Dieppe politicians are] just scared of the reaction that some people will have .... we think that in the long run this bylaw will enhance harmony within this community.'— Martin Leblanc-Rioux, petition organizer

Coun. Jean Gaudet said more time is needed to consider properly the petition or what alternatives could be worked out.

"I'm saying that we are not there yet and what are the options [to the petition], that is the big question," Gaudet said.

Dieppe is one of the province's fastest-growing cities, driven largely by francophones moving from northern New Brunswick, and its economy is supported by a robust retail sector. Many of those retail signs are the primary target of the petition.

Leblanc-Rioux just missed the petition target of 5,000 names that he set for himself when the petition was launched. But he said the number of signatures he's received proves there is in fact support for his idea.

He said most anglophones in Dieppe support the petition. The stumbling block, he contends, is mainly a small group of francophones who are opposed to the idea of bilingual signs.

Leblanc-Rioux said the councillors are giving in to pressure from these people.

"I think they're just scared of the reaction that some people will have and I think they want it harmonious," Leblanc-Rioux said. "But really we think that in the long run this bylaw will enhance harmony within this community."

Leblanc-Rioux wants an answer from council soon. In the meantime, he said, a group of 20 volunteers will continue to collect more names on the petition.