In Quebec, French holds a special place, including online. If you also target English-speaking clients, a bilingual website is an asset, provided it's built properly.
The principle
The Charter of the French Language, strengthened by Bill 96, governs the use of French in commerce in Quebec. For a business operating in Quebec, the French version of the website must be available and at least as complete as any other version. Check your specific obligations with the Office québécois de la langue française.
Best practices
- French by default for visitors from Quebec.
- A visible language switcher at the top of every page.
- Equivalent pages: the English version must not contain more information than the French one.
- A real translation, reviewed by a person. An unreviewed machine translation hurts your credibility.
On the SEO side
Each version needs its own address (for example /en/), translated titles and descriptions, and the tags that tell Google how the languages correspond.
Do you really need an English version?
If your clients are mostly local French speakers, focus first on an excellent French version. Add English when you're targeting Montreal, Ontario or international clients.
This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.
