Bill 96 Website Requirements: What Quebec Businesses Need to Know

What Changed and Why Websites Are Affected

Bill 96 modernized Quebec's Charter of the French Language for the digital era. Websites count as publicly accessible commercial material, so a business operating in Quebec cannot present an English-only site to Quebec customers. The practical bar: French of markedly predominant or at least equivalent presence, depending on context, with comparable quality.

The Trademark Exception (and Its Limits)

'Recognized by trademark' exceptions let some businesses display trademarked names in English only, but this narrow path does not cover surrounding content: descriptions, navigation, promotions and general information still require French. Many businesses mistakenly read the exception far broader than it is.

Practical Compliance for Real Websites

Structural approach beats bolt-on: separate language trees managed independently, French text lengths accounted for in design (French runs 15 to 20 percent longer), hreflang tags telling Google which version serves whom, and forms plus transactional emails translated fully. Half-French checkout flows fail both customers and regulators alike.

Where Developers End and Lawyers Begin

We build sites that support French-first presentation cleanly and flag technical implications. Interpretation of how specific requirements apply to your specific situation belongs with legal counsel familiar with your industry. The good news: properly structured sites adapt cheaply as guidance evolves; badly structured ones require rebuilds.

Frequently Asked Questions