Website design in Montreal

Bilingual website design that works in both languages

Canada Create™ offers website design for Montreal businesses that need a site customers trust in French and in English. Your website is often the first real conversation a customer has with you. They compare options on a phone, read a few pages, look for proof and decide whether to call, book or move on. Our job is to make that decision easy: a clear, fast, mobile-first site with complete language versions, a structure search engines understand, privacy settings that respect Quebec rules, and a next step on every page.

We have designed websites and run digital marketing for businesses in Canada and the United States since 2008. We work with Quebec clients remotely, with one accountable team, a written scope and a price set out in writing. This page explains how we approach web design for a bilingual market, what the rules mean for your site in general terms, what drives cost, and how to choose the right partner, whether that is us or someone else.

Is a professional website still worth it?

Yes, for most businesses that sell to people who search before they buy. Social profiles, marketplace listings and directory pages all help, but you do not control them. Platforms change their rules, reach drops and listings put your competitors right beside you. A website is the one place where you decide what customers see, in what order, and in which language.

A good website also does quiet work that a social profile cannot. It answers the same questions your staff answer every day, qualifies enquiries before they reach you, collects bookings and quote requests at any hour, and gives Google clear signals about what you do and where you serve. When a site is built well, every other channel works better: ads have a landing page that converts, your Google Business Profile has a strong page to link to, and referrals have somewhere credible to check you out.

What has changed is the standard. A template with thin pages and a contact form is no longer enough to stand out. Customers expect fast pages, real photos, clear pricing logic, proof from people like them, and content in their language. That is the standard we design to.

Is AI replacing web designers?

AI tools can now produce layouts, draft copy and generate images in minutes, and we use automation where it saves our clients time. What AI does not do on its own is understand your customers, decide which services deserve their own pages, plan redirects that protect years of rankings, check that a French page is complete and correct, configure consent so tracking respects the law, or take responsibility when something breaks. A generated site can look finished and still fail at the parts that bring in business. The value of a web design team has moved from drawing screens to making decisions, testing and being accountable for the result.

Are web designers in demand in Canada?

Businesses across Canada continue to hire designers and developers to build, fix and improve their websites, and bilingual skills, accessibility, performance and search knowledge are the areas where experienced help makes the most difference. For a business owner, the practical question is less about the job market and more about finding a team that understands your customers and can show you how they work.

Quebec language rules and your website

If you serve customers in Quebec, language is a design decision from day one, not a translation task at the end. In general terms, the Charter of the French Language, as amended by Bill 96, requires businesses serving Quebec customers to make French available and at least as prominent as any other language in their commercial communications, which includes websites. That affects navigation, product and service information, forms, confirmation messages, emails, terms and checkout.

In practice, we plan for a complete French version with the same depth as the English one, not a shorter summary. French text often runs longer than English, so layouts, buttons and menus are designed and tested with real French copy in place. Error messages, automated emails, cookie banners and receipts are planned in both languages from the start, because those are the parts most often forgotten.

This is general information, not legal advice. The rules include specific requirements and exceptions, and your obligations depend on your business, your customers and what you sell. We recommend confirming them with a qualified advisor, and we build to the standard they set.

How we structure a bilingual website

Many bilingual sites are built in a way that confuses both visitors and search engines: both languages mixed on one page, French pages that are thin versions of the English, language detection that forces visitors into the wrong version, or translated pages that keep English titles and descriptions. The usual result is that one language ranks and the other barely exists.

Separate French and English pages

Each language gets its own set of pages with its own URLs, commonly in a folder such as /fr/ and /en/ or a structure that suits your platform. Every page has its own title, meta description, headings and internal links in that language, so each version can rank for the searches people actually make.

Hreflang tags

Hreflang annotations tell search engines which pages are language equivalents. When they are set correctly, a French speaker is more likely to see your French page in results and an English speaker your English page, instead of the two versions competing with each other. We set them up, include both versions in your XML sitemap and check them in Google Search Console after launch.

A clear language switcher

Every page has a visible language switcher that takes the visitor to the matching page in the other language, not back to the home page. We let visitors choose rather than forcing a language based on browser settings, and we remember their choice.

Keyword research in each language

French speakers often search with different words than a direct translation of the English would suggest. We research search terms separately in each language so page titles, headings and service names match how people actually look for you.

Who writes the French content

We are clear about this: Canada Create™ does not claim in-house French copywriting. French content is written or translated by qualified translators you choose, or by qualified translators we coordinate on your behalf. We prepare the source content, build the French pages, check that nothing is missing, set up the editing workflow so both versions stay in step, and make sure typography handles French accents and punctuation correctly. Final language quality rests with the translator, and you approve every page before launch.

Law 25, privacy and consent on your website

Quebec’s Law 25 governs how businesses collect, use and protect personal information, including consent for tracking technologies on websites. For many sites that means a clear privacy policy, a way for visitors to accept or refuse non-essential cookies, privacy-protective defaults and a named person responsible for personal information within the business.

On the website side, we set up a consent banner in both languages, configure Google Analytics 4 and advertising tags to respect visitors’ choices, keep forms to the information you actually need, and document what each tool collects so your advisor can review it. Again, this is not legal advice: we recommend confirming your specific obligations with a qualified advisor.

What every website includes

Custom design around your brand

A design built for your customers and your offer, not a theme shared with thousands of other sites. We plan layouts for both languages, choose type that displays accents cleanly and create a visual system your team can keep using.

Mobile-first build

Pages designed for phones first, with readable text, tappable phone numbers, short forms and fast loading on mobile networks, then refined for tablets and desktops.

Search foundations

Clean URLs, titles and descriptions, a logical heading structure, structured data for your business, XML sitemaps for both languages and, for redesigns, a permanent redirect for every changed URL.

Google Business Profile alignment

Your business name, address or service area, phone number, hours and services match across your website and your Business Profile, and the profile links to the right page.

Content that sells

Service pages, about pages and contact pages built from interviews with you and your team, written in plain language, with proof placed near every decision point.

Conversion and tracking

Clear calls to action, booking or quote forms and click-to-call links in both languages, tracked in Google Analytics 4 with consent respected.

Accessibility

Designed to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, with colour contrast, keyboard navigation, alt text and form labels checked on key templates.

Training and handover

Your team learns to update pages in both languages, add news or services and manage forms, with written notes to keep.

How a website project runs

1. Discovery

A video call about your business, customers in each language, competitors and goals, plus a review of your current site, analytics, rankings and Business Profile. You receive a written proposal in one business day after we have what we need.

2. Site plan

A bilingual sitemap showing every page, the searches it should answer and the action it should lead to. For redesigns, a list of every existing URL in both languages and where it will redirect.

3. Design

Key templates designed for phones and computers and shared in an online workspace where your team can comment directly.

4. Content and translation

English content developed with your team, then French content produced by the translator you choose or one we coordinate, with both versions reviewed by you.

5. Build and testing

Development on a private staging site with multilingual setup, consent management, forms, booking, tracking and integrations connected, then testing in both languages for speed, accessibility and errors.

6. Launch and support

Launch, sitemap submission, indexing checks for both languages, close monitoring in the weeks after and training for your team. Timelines depend on size, content, translation and approvals, and your written proposal includes a schedule.

Serving Montreal remotely

We serve Montreal clients remotely. Our office is at 126 Willowdale Ave., Suite #3, Toronto, and we do not have an office or staff in Quebec. Projects run by video call, screen share and a shared project board that shows what is done, what is next and what we need from you. Designs are reviewed online, content interviews are recorded so nothing is missed, and short check-in calls are scheduled around your hours.

Remote delivery works well for web design because almost every part of the work happens on screen: planning, design review, content approval, staging tests and training. Where a project needs photography of your team or premises, we help you brief a local photographer you choose and plan the shot list around the new pages. Our toll-free line, +1 (800) 808-9235, is answered 24/7* for sales and support.

We also design sites for businesses in other Canadian cities, including web design in Ottawa, where bilingual audiences raise many of the same questions.

What a website costs in Canada

There is no honest single price for a website, because two projects with the same page count can take very different amounts of work. We quote every website in writing as a fixed fee after a free consultation, so you know the full cost before you commit. These are the main cost drivers:

• Number of pages and templates. A site with a handful of pages costs less than one with dozens of service, location and article templates.
• Languages. A bilingual site needs every page, form, email and message produced and checked twice, plus hreflang and a second sitemap.
• Content and translation. Whether you supply copy, we develop it with you, and whether translation is handled by your translator or one we coordinate.
• Design depth. A fully custom design system takes more time than adapting a proven layout.
• Functionality. Online booking, ecommerce, member areas, calculators and integrations with your CRM or scheduling software each add scope.
• Migration. Moving from an older platform with many URLs, rankings and links to protect.
• Privacy and consent setup. Consent management, tag configuration and documentation.
• Support after launch. Hosting, maintenance and marketing are quoted separately, so you can see each cost on its own.

How much should you pay a web designer?

Pay for outcomes you can check, not for hours you cannot. A fair quote lists every page, feature, language version and deliverable, explains what is excluded, and states who owns the finished site. Be cautious of quotes that are much lower than others without explaining why: they often leave out content, the French version, redirects, consent setup or training, which then return as extra charges. Compare what is included line by line, not just the total.

What about free or very cheap websites?

Website builders can make sense for a new business testing an idea, a single page for an event or a personal portfolio. The limits appear when you need two complete language versions with proper hreflang, consent management that respects Quebec rules, search structure for many services, or integrations with your booking and sales tools. A free site can end up costing more in lost enquiries and a later rebuild. If a builder suits your stage today, we will tell you.

Agency, freelancer or website builder

Each option can be the right one. A freelance web designer can be a good fit for a small site with a clear brief, especially when you are comfortable coordinating content, hosting and marketing yourself. Freelance marketplaces make it easy to compare portfolios, but you manage the project and carry the risk if the person becomes unavailable. A website builder gives you speed and low upfront cost in exchange for limits on structure and flexibility.

An agency makes sense when the website has to do several jobs at once: rank in two languages, feed a CRM, support ads, meet accessibility and privacy expectations, and keep working after launch. You get one team accountable for design, development, search foundations and support, with continuity if anyone is away. Whichever route you take, insist on a written scope, ownership in your name and a plan for maintenance.

Choosing a Montreal web design company

Agency directories and ranking sites are a useful starting point, but most list agencies by paid placement or by how many reviews they have collected, not by how well they would suit your project. These questions tell you more:

• How will the French version be produced? Ask who writes or translates it, who reviews it and whether it will be as complete as the English.
• How will bilingual SEO work? Ask about separate URLs, hreflang, sitemaps and keyword research in each language.
• How is privacy consent handled? Ask how analytics and advertising tags will respect visitors’ choices.
• Can I see relevant work? Look at live sites, not only screenshots, and test them on your phone.
• Who owns the site, domain and hosting? Everything should be registered in your name.
• What does the quote include and exclude? Content, translation, redirects, training and support should be listed.
• What happens after launch? Maintenance, response times and costs should be written down.
• Who will I actually work with? Ask whether the team you meet is the team that does the work.

How to read a web design portfolio

A portfolio shows taste, but it does not show results on its own. Open the live sites and check how fast they load on a phone, whether the language switcher lands on the matching page, whether forms work and whether the French pages are as complete as the English. Ask what the agency did on each project: design only, or content, development, SEO and support as well. Pretty screens are easy; sites that keep working for years are harder.

Who we design websites for

Our approach suits businesses whose customers compare options online before they commit: clinics and health practices that need clear treatment pages and booking; professional firms that need to build trust quickly with real profiles and credentials; restaurants, hospitality and event businesses that need menus, reservations and hours that are always current; home services and trades that need quote forms and service area clarity; retailers and brands selling online; and technology and B2B companies that need to explain complex products and support demo requests. Each type of business decides differently, so each site is planned around how its customers buy.

Web design and search working together

A website that looks great but cannot be found is a brochure in a drawer. We build search foundations into every project: pages planned around real searches in each language, clean structure, internal links, structured data and a strong connection to your Google Business Profile, which is what drives visibility in the map results people see for local searches. Content is written to answer the questions customers ask before they call, which also helps AI search features understand what you offer.

If you want ongoing growth after launch, SEO starts from CAD 1,500/month, with higher tiers by proposal. Google Ads, Business Profile management and lead follow-up are quoted separately, so you can add them when the site is ready.

Redesigns that protect your rankings

Established businesses often have a site that ranks in one language but not the other, or ranks well but looks dated. A careless redesign can lose that visibility overnight. Before design starts, we record the pages that bring visits in each language, the searches they rank for and the links pointing to them. Those pages are kept or improved, every changed URL receives a permanent redirect, valuable content is carried over and both language versions are monitored in Google Search Console after launch.

Speed, accessibility and mobile performance

Google’s Core Web Vitals measure how quickly pages load, how soon they respond and how stable the layout is while loading. Visitors feel the same things. Consent tools and tracking scripts can slow a site down when they are added carelessly, so we configure them to load efficiently. We build with lean templates and compressed images, choose quality hosting and test on real phones before launch. Accessibility is part of the same work: readable contrast, keyboard navigation, labelled forms and meaningful alt text help every visitor and support your obligations.

Choosing a platform

WordPress with a reliable multilingual setup suits content-rich bilingual sites with many services, articles or locations and gives you full ownership; see our WordPress development page for how we build and maintain it. Webflow’s localization features suit design-led marketing sites. Shopify supports bilingual stores for businesses selling online. We recommend the right fit in writing, including how each platform handles French and English content, editing, hosting, integrations and future flexibility.

Websites that support your sales process

Some customers book after one visit; others come back several times before acting. We design around the way your customers buy: online booking connected to your scheduling software, quote forms with photo upload, consultation requests with qualifying questions, gift cards, newsletter sign-ups with consent recorded, and downloadable guides, all working in both languages. Enquiries can flow into CS+, our CRM, which sends a prompt reply using templates you approve, reminds your team to follow up and shows which leads become customers.

Keeping two languages in step after launch

The hardest part of a bilingual website is the months after launch. New services, team members, promotions and news need to appear in both languages at the same time. We set up an editing workflow where each page is linked to its counterpart, changes are flagged for translation, and nothing goes live in one language without the other being ready. Maintenance plans cover tested updates, backups, uptime and security monitoring and time each month for changes, and are quoted in writing.

Common website problems we fix

• Incomplete French versions. Missing or shorter French pages create both compliance questions and search problems.
• Machine translation left unchecked. Awkward wording undermines trust immediately.
• Both languages on one page. Mixed pages tend to rank poorly in both languages.
• No consent management. Tracking that ignores visitor choices can conflict with privacy rules.
• Slow, heavy pages. Oversized images and too many scripts drive visitors away.
• Silent forms. Forms that stop sending email cost leads without anyone noticing.
• No tracking. Without call and form tracking, nobody knows what the site produces.

Why work with Canada Create™

Canada Create™ has designed websites and run digital marketing since 2008, serving businesses in Canada and the United States for 18+ years. We are BBB Accredited with an A+ rating. You work with one team from discovery to launch and support, every website is scoped and priced in writing, you own your site, domain and data. Our 24/7* toll-free line is +1 (800) 808-9235.

Start your website project

Tell us about your business, your current site and what the new one needs to achieve in each language. Get a proposal in one business day: use the form on this page or call +1 (800) 808-9235, and we will send a written scope and fixed fee that lists exactly what is included.