If your e-commerce business operates in Quebec or even sells to people there, you need to prepare for Bill 96. Quebec's Bill 96 requires all commercial communications to be available in French.
Whether you run an online store or small business, your website and customer communications must comply, or you may face substantial fines and penalties.
In this guide, we’ll explain how Bill 96 affects your website and provide tips for compliance.
Although Quebec is just one of Canada's provinces, Bill 96's impact is substantial. Quebec is a significant tech hub. It is home to approximately 250,000 small businesses and around 2,500 startups, all of which will need to offer French-Canadian versions of their websites by 2025.
Moreover, parts of the bill extend to anyone conducting business in Quebec, either in person or virtually. Even if they're located outside of the province or internationally.
Bill 96 also impacts other areas not covered in this article, such as public services, government, employment law, and education. Here, we will focus on the implications of doing business and selling online.
Bill 96 is a provincial law that establishes French as the official language of Quebec in business, law, and the workplace. This legislation requires French translations for all essential documents, products, goods, and services.
The law, officially titled An Act Respecting French, the official and common language of Québec, proposes several amendments to Bill 101 (Quebec’s Charter of the French Language). Its primary objectives are to broaden the original legislation's scope and impose stricter penalties for non-compliance.
All businesses and enterprises offering goods or services to consumers must respect their right to be informed and served in French. Additionally, all commercial documents must be translated into French.
The regulation states that "websites and social media platforms are considered commercial documents," representing an underlying need for website translations.
According to Census data, over 80% of Quebec respondents said their first language was French, although usage is declining.
Lawmakers passed Bill 96 to preserve and promote the French language across the province.
Enforcement for the latest amendments to Bill 96 goes into effect on June 1, 2025. Bill 96 states that a corporation may be personally liable if they commit an offense under the Act.
Yes. All companies selling products in Quebec are now required to serve the public in French, not just those with physical locations in the province.
For example, if your e-commerce store is in California and you want to sell in Quebec, you’ll need to provide French packaging and documentation. However, Bill 96 doesn’t explicitly require websites outside of Canada to have a full French version yet.
Companies that violate the law may face significant fines. Fees begin at $3,000 and increase to $30,000 each day the violation persists. The fine is doubled for a second violation and tripled for subsequent breaches.
The steep penalties highlight the Quebec government’s commitment to enforcing French language requirements in the province.
In the event of noncompliance, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) can issue you a formal notice to comply with the Charter.
If you violate the notice, your business could be subject to criminal penalties. Penalties can be directed at both corporations and their directors individually.
If you do business in Quebec, your digital presence—websites, social media, or catalogs—must have a French version. The deadline for compliance is June 1, 2025, and penalties range from $3,000 to $30,000 per violation.
Businesses must ensure that their French website reflects the English version in content, presentation, and functionality. For instance, if an English e-commerce site offers a chat service, the French site must provide the same service.
If you do business in Quebec, we recommend the following:
Worried about compliance? In the past, website translation was time-consuming and costly, but Localize makes it effortless.
Localize offers an efficient, cost-effective solution for companies seeking to comply with Quebec’s language requirements and translate their website into French. Implementation takes minutes and ensures that all important web pages are compliant.
Activate Localize on your site with quick installation of a JavaScript tag.
Localize automatically detects your content and pulls it into your dashboard for review and machine translations.
Localize's intuitive dashboard uses AI-powered translation engines to effortlessly manage and translate your content into French (fr-CA). It also syncs with vetted French-Canadian translators for your most pressing web pages and documents.
Release French translations instantly using Localize’s innovative automatic content delivery. Whenever you change your site, Localize will automatically detect it and update the French version for you with no extra work.
Your businesses could be scrutinized if you don’t follow the new language laws.
With Bill 96 enforcement approaching, it's crucial to ensure your business is compliant. Don't worry if you’re not ready—Localize is here to help. Brands like Lovingly, Submittable, and Prodege trust Localize to automatically manage their French-Canadian website translations.
Localize can reduce the time and cost of translating your website and apps, ensuring you meet Quebec’s new standards without delays or risking non-compliance.
Brandon Paton, CEO and founder of Localize, is dedicated to helping businesses extend their global reach through impactful localization strategies. His leadership drives Localize's mission to empower companies in managing multilingual content, enhancing their international presence and customer engagement.
Transform your event management journey from concept to analysis with Releventful. Elevate each step with our comprehensive tools designed for unforgettable event experiences.
Explore our features now!
