Loi 96 et le Commerce en Ligne au Québec / Bill 96 and E-Commerce in Quebec — What Businesses Must Know
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Bill 96 — La Charte de la langue française modifiée — represents the most significant update to Quebec's language laws in decades. For online businesses selling to Quebec customers, compliance is no longer optional. Here's what you need to know.
La Loi 96 représente la mise à jour la plus importante des lois linguistiques du Québec depuis des décennies. Pour les entreprises en ligne qui vendent aux clients québécois, la conformité n'est plus facultative.
Ce que la Loi 96 Exige pour le Commerce en Ligne / What Bill 96 Requires for E-Commerce
- Contenu en français obligatoire: All product descriptions, labels, and marketing must be available in French. English can exist, but French must be equally prominent.
- Service client en français: Customers must be able to communicate in French at all touchpoints.
- Contrats en français: Any contracts or terms of service must be available in French.
- Préponderance du français: French must not be minimized relative to English on any digital interface.
Calendrier de Conformité / Compliance Timeline
June 2022: Bill 96 received Royal Assent.
June 2025: Most provisions fully in force for businesses with 25+ employees.
Right now: Consumer-facing digital businesses should already be compliant.
Les Risques de Non-Conformité / Risks of Non-Compliance
Fines for non-compliance range from $3,000 to $30,000 per violation for businesses. Repeat violations can trigger escalating penalties. Beyond fines, the reputational risk in Quebec — a market of 8+ million consumers — is significant.
Comment NOVU Ouvre la Voie / How NOVU Leads the Way
NOVU was built bilingual from day one. Every product description, every piece of marketing copy, every customer communication is available in both French and English with equal prominence. This isn't just legal compliance — it's respect for our customers.
We are the only fully bilingual professional equipment retailer operating in Canada. While our competitors scramble to add French translations, NOVU was built for Canada — both of it.
Conseils pour Votre Entreprise / Tips for Your Business
- Audit your Shopify store — are all product descriptions available in French?
- Check your customer service touchpoints — can customers email/chat in French?
- Review your checkout flow — is it available in French?
- Install Translate & Adapt app on Shopify for easy bilingual management
- Consult an OQLF-certified translator for legal compliance review