Does My Website Need to Be in French? Quebec Bill 96

Updated November 2026: what the rule asks of a website, how a good English and French site is built, what drives the cost, and how White Gold Technologies builds bilingual sites for Canadian businesses.

What the rule says

The rule comes from the Charter of the French Language, which has governed how businesses operating in Quebec use French from 1977. Bill 96, the law that modernised the Charter, was sanctioned on 1 June 2022, and most of its changes took effect that day, as the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) sets out.

The OQLF's own guide to doing business in French in Quebec puts the website points plainly:

• Commercial documentation is at least in French. Invoices, catalogues, brochures, websites and social media pages are all covered. Another language is allowed only if French is at least equivalent and the French version is offered on conditions at least as favourable.
• Content from others counts too. If you publish material produced by a third party, such as a supplier's product sheet, making it available in French is your job, because responsibility sits with whoever makes it public.
• Product information is equally available. Where product information is also in another language, the French must be available on at least the same conditions. The customer should not have to make an extra effort to reach it.
• Service in French. Customers have the right to be informed and served in French, and businesses must respect that right at all times.
• Standard contracts. Since 1 June 2023, a French version of a contract of adhesion (a standard contract the customer cannot negotiate) must be handed over before the parties agree. Only after receiving it can they choose to be bound by a version in another language.

In plain terms: an English-only site does not meet the rule, and neither does a half-finished French version behind a small link.

Who this affects

A Quebec business needs French as the base of its site. A business in Ontario, BC or Alberta faces the same question once it does business in Quebec: shipping there, taking bookings or advertising to Quebec buyers. It is also good selling: Quebec customers search and buy in French.

What "equally available" means on a website

The idea that French must be offered on conditions at least as favourable turns into a short list of build decisions:

1. Separate French pages, not a pop-up translator. Give each French page its own address, for example /fr/ in front of the path, so it can be linked, shared and found in search.
2. Hreflang tags. Tell Google which pages are translations of each other, so French searchers land on the French page and English searchers on the English one.
3. A clear language switcher. Put it in the header on every page, as prominent as the rest of the navigation, and send visitors to the same page in the other language, not back to the home page.
4. French checkout and forms. Cart, checkout, error messages, quote forms and booking steps all need French. These are the places sites most often slip back into English.
5. French emails and documents. Order confirmations, booking reminders, invoices and password resets come from the system, not the page, so they need their own French templates.
6. Terms, privacy and returns in French. Online terms of sale are standard terms the customer cannot negotiate, so the French version should be in place before checkout.
7. French product data. Names, descriptions, options and filters are stored as data. Plan a French field next to every English one, including supplier content.

Machine translation and human review

Machine translation is a fair first draft for a large catalogue, but on its own it mistranslates trade terms, mixes European and Quebec French, and slips on dates and units. What works: machine translation first, review by a French-speaking editor, and the most-read pages (home, services, checkout, terms) written by a person. Keep a short glossary so every page uses the same words.

What drives the cost of a bilingual site

A bilingual site costs more than an English-only one because there are two of everything to write, test and maintain. The main drivers are:

• Number of pages and products. A small service site is a quick job; a large store is a data project.
• Who translates. Machine translation with light review costs less than full professional translation, and legal pages are best done by a professional.
• Platform. Shopify, WooCommerce and custom builds handle languages differently; some need paid translation apps with a monthly fee.
• Transactional content. Checkout, emails, invoices and customer accounts take more work than marketing pages.
• Ongoing updates. Every new product, offer or blog post needs a French version. Plan for this in your monthly upkeep, not as an afterthought.

How White Gold Technologies builds English and French websites

White Gold Technologies is a web and software company in Alwar, Rajasthan, India, working since 2013 with more than 1,200 clients. We build English and French websites, Shopify and WooCommerce stores, booking and quote systems, and redesigns of sites that need a proper French version added.

How we work with Canadian clients:

• Built bilingual from day one. Separate /fr/ pages, hreflang tags, a header language switcher, French checkout, French email templates and a French field for every product.
• Fixed price per milestone. You see the full scope up front and pay for each stage as it is delivered.
• Quotes in CAD. No currency guesswork on your side.
• Work done overnight Eastern time. India is 9.5 to 10.5 hours ahead of Toronto. Brief us at the end of your day and review the work the next morning.
• You own everything. The domain, the code and every login stay in your name.
• Easy contact. WhatsApp and video calls, with our studio open 09:00 to 21:00 IST Monday to Saturday and WhatsApp after hours.

Frequently asked questions

Does my website have to be in French if I am based in Ontario?

If you do business in Quebec, the Charter's rules on commercial documentation reach your website, and the OQLF says that includes websites and social media. If Quebec is a market you actively sell to, a full French version is the clean way to meet the rule and win those customers.

Can my website be in English and French?

Yes. You can use English as well as French, as long as French is at least equivalent and the French version is offered on conditions at least as favourable. In practice that means complete French pages and a switcher that is easy to find.

Is Google Translate on my site enough?

A translate widget is not a French website. It does not create French pages that search engines can index, it rarely covers checkout and emails, and the quality is uneven. Use machine translation as a first draft and have a person review it.

When did Bill 96 take effect?

Bill 96 was sanctioned on 1 June 2022, and most changes to the Charter took effect that day. The rule on French versions of standard contracts took effect on 1 June 2023, and the signage rules for trademarks on 1 June 2025.

Talk to White Gold Technologies

Tell us about your site, how many pages or products it has, and whether you sell to Quebec now or plan to. We will send a fixed-price quote in CAD, split into milestones. Call (+91) 9414-909092, message us on WhatsApp on the same number, or use the contact page. See how we work with Canadian businesses on our Canada page, or visit the overseas hub for every market we serve.