What shapes a website for the Canadian market
Canada is one market on a map and several in practice. The province a visitor lives in can change the language of the page, the consent behind a cookie and the price that may be shown.
| Topic | What it means for your website | Decide early |
|---|---|---|
| French | Under Quebec's Charter of the French Language, a business established in Quebec presents its commercial website content in French, on terms at least as favorable as any other language. Canadian French has its own vocabulary and conventions | Whether Quebec is served, and who writes and reviews the French |
| Privacy | PIPEDA is the federal law for personal information in commercial activity. Quebec's law goes further: a privacy policy in clear language, the contact details of the person responsible for privacy published on the site, and tracking or profiling functions that stay off until the visitor turns them on | Which analytics and advertising tools run, and for which visitors |
| Anti-spam law | Canada's anti-spam law requires consent before commercial emails and texts. On a sign-up form that means a box the visitor ticks themselves, a statement of who is asking and why, and an unsubscribe in every message | The wording of each form, and where proof of consent is kept |
| Accessibility | Ontario's accessibility law requires larger organizations to meet WCAG at Level AA on their public websites, federally regulated bodies fall under the Accessible Canada Act, and other provinces have laws of their own | The standard you will build to, and whether a legal duty applies to you |
| Prices on the page | The Competition Act prohibits drip pricing. A price shown on the site has to include the mandatory fees a customer cannot avoid, apart from taxes imposed by government | Whether prices are shown, and what each one includes |
| Domain | A .ca address is open to people and organizations that meet the registry's Canadian presence requirements, such as a corporation formed under Canadian law | Whether you qualify for .ca, and who holds the registration |
| Hosting | Federal law does not generally require a website to be hosted in Canada. Public bodies, health organizations and some contracts do ask for Canadian storage, and Quebec expects an assessment before personal information leaves the province | Where form data is stored, decided after reading your contracts |
Journeys we build into Canadian websites
These journeys look ordinary. What makes them Canadian is the consent, the language and the province carried through every step.
One page, two languages
For businesses that serve customers in English and in French.
- Visitor arrives in the language their browser prefers
- Switch offered on every page
- Same page opens in the other language
- Form submitted in the chosen language
- Confirmation email follows that choice
Newsletter sign-up with proof
For any business that emails prospects or customers.
- Visitor ticks an empty consent box
- Purpose and sender stated beside it
- Confirmation email sent
- Date, wording and source recorded
- Unsubscribe honored from every message
Quote request by province
For service companies whose coverage, tax or pricing changes across the country.
- Visitor selects a province
- Services available there shown
- Request sent with its location
- CRM record created
- Reply prepared with the right tax
Privacy request
For organizations that hold personal information and must answer for it.
- Visitor finds the privacy contact
- Submits an access or correction request
- Identity confirmed
- Request logged with its deadline
- Answer sent and recorded
What we build
Bilingual structure
English and French versions with their own addresses, titles and descriptions, linked so that search engines show each visitor the right one. French text comes from your team or your translator.
Consent-aware forms
Sign-up and contact forms with empty boxes, clear purpose statements and a stored record of each consent.
Tracking that respects Quebec
Analytics and advertising tags that stay off for Quebec visitors until they opt in, with the privacy contact shown where the law expects it.
Accessible design
Layouts, color and code built to WCAG at Level AA and checked with a keyboard and a screen reader before launch.
Clear pricing pages
Price displays that include every unavoidable fee, with taxes handled province by province.
Hosting recommendation
A written assessment of where the site and its form data should live, based on your contracts and your sector.
What we need from you
- The provinces you serve, and whether Quebec is one of them
- French content, or the translator who will supply it
- The name and contact details of your privacy officer
- A list of the tracking and marketing tools you use
- Any contract clauses about where data must be stored
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
A readiness checklist for a Canadian website project
Before design starts
0 of 8 checkedWhat to do next
Tell us which provinces you serve, what the site has to achieve and what you run today. We will reply with a structure, the rules that apply to you and how the two languages would be handled. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
If the site is a redesign, our website redesign planning checklist covers what to protect during the move.
Common questions
Does our website have to be in French?
If you have an establishment in Quebec, plan for French. Quebec's language law expects commercial content, which includes websites, to be available in French on terms at least as favorable as another language. A company that sells into Quebec from outside is in a less settled position and should take advice. One with no Quebec customers has no such duty. We build for either outcome.
Do we need a .ca domain?
No, though it helps. A .ca address tells visitors the business is Canadian, and the registry limits it to registrants with a Canadian presence, such as citizens, permanent residents and corporations formed here. Companies that also sell to the United States often keep a .com as well. Whichever you use, register it in the company's name and note who renews it.
Does a Canadian website need a cookie banner?
Federal law has no specific cookie rule, but it does expect meaningful consent for how personal information is used. Quebec is stricter: technology that identifies, locates or profiles a person has to be off by default and switched on by the visitor. In practice a site with advertising or detailed analytics shows a consent choice to Quebec visitors at least, and many show it to everyone.
Does our site have to be hosted in Canada?
Usually not by law. Federal privacy law allows personal information to be processed abroad as long as it stays protected and people are told. Some public sector, health and financial clients require Canadian storage in their contracts, and Quebec asks for an assessment before personal information leaves the province. We read those conditions first and then recommend a host, instead of assuming either answer.
Where to go from here
Related serviceWebsite DesignWebsites designed as studio projects, with concept work to browse