English site, French afterthought
Under the Charter of the French Language, strengthened by Bill 96, a business in Quebec must make its website available in French, at least as fully as in any other language.
Language
Web design · Montreal and Greater Montreal
Web design
Web design
Montreal
Web design in Montreal has rules that a Toronto template ignores: French has to be fully available, privacy consent has to be real, and your customers notice shortcuts. I work in English, so the French version comes from your own team; I say that before the first mock-up.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
What goes wrongFour Montreal
Four Montreal
website traps
These come up again and again when Quebec businesses move from an old site or a site built for the rest of Canada.
Tracking before consent
Law 25 expects consent before tracking that identifies or profiles visitors. Many sites still fire analytics and ad pixels the moment the page loads.
PrivacyMachine translation
Montrealers spot an automatic translation in a sentence. It costs trust, so whoever produces your French version, it should not be a plugin.
QualityCollecting too much
Date of birth, full address, a phone and an email for a simple quote request. Each extra field lowers conversions and adds data you then have to protect.
Forms
How it works
Reviews that
Reviews that
win the next customers
Before calling, customers read reviews. I help you collect them and reply in a way that builds trust.
- Review request after the visit
- A reply to every review
- Reviews visible on Maps and in AI
How the project runsFrom brief
From brief
to launch
About French
I write and structure the content in English. I do not write, translate or coordinate French copy; the French version is your own team's or translator's work, outside my scope.
Call and briefYour services, the boroughs you serve, and who covers French on your side
StructurePage tree, URLs and English keywords planned
Copy and designEnglish text approved, design previewed on a test address
Privacy setupConsent banner, privacy policy page, forms trimmed to what you need
LaunchDomain, redirects, analytics with consent, a short training
Prices in CAD
Montreal website
Montreal website
prices
Fixed fees for my work, paid 30/40/30. French copy is not part of my work or my prices.
Landing page[01]
from $1,300 CAD
One offer, one English page, built to convert.
- Ready from 10 days
- Consent-aware tracking
- Call and form buttons
■ Business website[02]
from $3,000 CAD
Multi-page English site with a page per service and area.
- Up to 30 days
- 3 rounds of revisions
- Privacy and cookie pages
Online store[03]
from $4,800 CAD
A store with product pages, checkout and order emails in English.
- Catalogue with filters
- Payment integration
- Code in your name
Web design in Montreal: the language question first
Web design in Montreal is the one place in my work where the language question has to be settled before we begin. If your business operates in Quebec, your website needs to be available in French, and under Bill 96 the French version should be at least as complete and as easy to reach as any other. An English site with a French button that leads to three half-translated pages does not meet that standard, and it also looks careless to the people you want as customers.
So here is my part, stated plainly. I work in English. I design and build the site, write the English copy, set up the code, SEO and privacy pieces. I do not write, translate or coordinate French copy, and I do not build French versions. For a Quebec business, the French version has to come from your own team or translator, and it should be planned before we start, not after launch. Many Montreal businesses serve English-speaking customers in the West Island or Westmount, newcomers who prefer English, or tourists, and that English side is where I fit. My article on French-language websites in Quebec explains what the rules ask of your business.
Who writes what
I work in English, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian, not French. I write the English pages and you approve them. The French text is outside my work and my quote: it is between you and your own team or translator. If you would rather have one provider for a French site, a local agency may suit you better, and I will say so on the first call.
Law 25 is part of the build, not a plugin
Quebec's Law 25 changed how websites collect personal information. On a typical small business site, the practical points are a plain-language privacy policy, a named person in charge of personal information, consent before cookies that track or profile visitors, and forms that collect only what you need. I build these in as part of the site rather than bolting on a banner at the end.
The important technical bit: analytics and ad pixels should wait for consent. I set this up with Consent Mode v2, so Google Analytics and Google Ads still get modelled data while respecting each visitor's choice.
Built for the island and beyond
Greater Montreal is a set of very different places: the Plateau, Rosemont, Saint-Laurent and Verdun on the island, Laval to the north, Longueuil and Brossard on the South Shore. For service businesses I usually plan short pages for the areas you really serve. For restaurants, shops and studios, practical details matter more: opening hours, how to get there by metro, whether there is parking, and a menu or price list that works on a phone.
Every site is hand-coded or built on a custom CMS I make for that project. No page-builder subscription, fast pages, and the domain, code and content registered in your name. Once the site is live, SEO in Montreal is the natural next step if you want English searches to find you.
Working remotely with Montreal
I do not live in Montreal or have an office there. I work remotely with businesses across Canada: Zoom in Eastern Time, WhatsApp, Telegram or email between calls, and a reply within one business day. The agreement is written, with deadlines, and payment goes in three stages.
Related readingMontreal and
Montreal and
other cities
FAQ
Web design in Montreal:
Web design in Montreal:
your questions
Does my Montreal website have to be in French?
If your business operates in Quebec, the Charter of the French Language expects your website to be available in French. You can also have English or other languages, but French should not be less available or harder to find. I am not a lawyer, so for unusual cases check with the OQLF or a legal adviser. My work is in English, so the French version would come from your own team or translator.
You don't write French. How does that work?
I write the English copy and handle design, code and SEO. I do not write, translate or coordinate French copy, and I do not build French versions. The French side stays with your own team or translator. If you need one provider for a French site, a local agency may suit you better, and I will tell you so.
What does Law 25 change on my site?
For most small sites: a clear privacy policy, a named person responsible for personal information, consent before tracking cookies run, and forms that only ask for what you need. I build the consent banner and connect analytics and pixels so they respect each visitor's choice.
How much does a website cost in Montreal?
My prices start at $1,300 for a landing page, $3,000 for a business website and $4,800 for an online store, in Canadian dollars. French copy is not part of my work, so it is not in my price. You get a fixed price in writing before any work starts.
Can you redesign my existing site?
I build new sites rather than repair old ones, but a website redesign keeps your domain, moves the content that works and redirects old pages. It is often the cleanest way to fix a site with a weak structure.
Get a Montreal
site plan
Send a short brief: what you sell and where in Greater Montreal. I reply within one business day with a structure and a price. Prefer a conversation? Book a free 30-minute consultation.