Advertising in Quebec and Bilingual Canada: What Bill 96 Means for Your Campaigns
Selling into Quebec means French. Not a translated banner, but ads, landing pages and a website available in French on terms at least as good as English.
By Ads Ninza · Published 19 September 2026 · 5 min read
What Quebec language rules require
Quebec's Charter of the French Language, strengthened by Bill 96, requires commercial advertising, websites, catalogues and order forms aimed at Quebec consumers to be available in French. Another language can be used alongside, provided the French version is available on terms at least as favourable. The stricter provisions on signage, trademarks and commercial communications took effect in June 2025.
For digital advertising, the practical reading is straightforward. If you advertise or sell to people in Quebec, including from another province or country, your ads, landing pages and website need a proper French version. Relying on browser translation or a hidden language toggle does not meet it.
This is not legal advice. The rules have detail and exceptions, and businesses with significant Quebec exposure should confirm their position with Canadian counsel.
Structuring French and English campaigns
Separate campaigns by language. French campaigns with French keywords, French ad copy and French landing pages. English campaigns in English. Mixing languages in one campaign makes reporting and optimisation harder.
Language targeting and geography. Target French speakers in Quebec with French campaigns. Consider French campaigns for Francophone communities elsewhere, notably in New Brunswick, the only officially bilingual province, and parts of Ontario and Manitoba.
Write, do not translate. Quebec French has its own vocabulary and tone. Copy written by a native Quebec writer performs better and avoids expressions that read as foreign.
Less competition. French search auctions are often less crowded than English ones for the same intent, which can lower cost per click. French SEO content is also thinner, which gives well-written French pages a ranking opportunity.
Each province is a different market
Quebec: Montreal, Quebec City and Laval, with strengths in aerospace, AI and technology, and video games and media. French first.
Ontario: Toronto, Ottawa and Mississauga, with financial services, technology and manufacturing. The largest and most expensive market in most categories.
British Columbia: Vancouver, Victoria and Surrey, with technology, real estate and film. Auction costs close to Toronto in many categories.
Alberta: Calgary and Edmonton, with energy, agriculture and logistics. Demand often tracks energy prices.
Manitoba and Saskatchewan: Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Regina, with agriculture, agri-food, mining and manufacturing. Lower auction costs and less saturated local search.
Atlantic Canada: Nova Scotia with Halifax and ocean technology, New Brunswick with forestry and business services, Newfoundland and Labrador with offshore energy and fisheries, and Prince Edward Island with agriculture and tourism. Smaller, relationship-driven markets.
The territories: Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are small markets shaped by mining, government and tourism. Nunavut has Inuit language considerations for public-facing communication.
Consent and email under CASL
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation covers commercial electronic messages, including email and text messages. You generally need consent before sending them, must identify yourself and must provide an easy way to unsubscribe.
For lead generation, add a clear, unticked consent checkbox for marketing messages on your forms, keep records of when and how consent was given, and separate transactional follow-up about the enquiry itself from ongoing marketing. Privacy law, including Quebec's Law 25, adds requirements on how personal information is collected and used.
Timing and how we work with Canadian clients
Canada spans six time zones, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. Ad schedules should follow local time in each province, not a single national schedule.
Seasons matter more than in most markets. Home services, automotive and retail demand swing sharply between winter and summer, and planning campaigns around them avoids wasted spend.
From India, our review time falls in Canadian early morning, and changes are live by the time traffic arrives. More detail is on our Canada page and in our Canada provinces guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need French ads to advertise in Quebec?
If your advertising is aimed at Quebec consumers, it must be available in French on terms at least as favourable as any other language, under the Charter of the French Language as amended by Bill 96. Confirm specifics with Canadian counsel.
Does my website need to be in French for Quebec customers?
If you sell or market to Quebec consumers, your website and order forms generally need a proper French version, not automatic browser translation. The French version should be easy to find and as complete as the English one.
Are French Google Ads cheaper in Canada?
Often, because fewer advertisers run French campaigns for the same intent. Lower competition can mean lower cost per click. The benefit depends on sending French ads to French landing pages.
What is Bill 96?
A 2022 Quebec law that strengthened the Charter of the French Language, with provisions on commercial advertising, signage, trademarks, websites and contracts. Several provisions took effect in stages, with the signage and commercial communications rules in force from June 2025.
What is CASL?
Canada Anti-Spam Legislation, which regulates commercial electronic messages such as marketing emails and texts. You generally need consent, must identify yourself and must include an easy unsubscribe option.
Which Canadian province is most expensive for Google Ads?
Ontario and British Columbia, driven by Toronto and Vancouver, are usually the most expensive in most categories. Prairie and Atlantic provinces are often considerably cheaper for the same intent.
Should I run separate campaigns for each province?
For larger budgets, yes, or at least separate campaigns for the major markets and time-zone-aware schedules. It stops Toronto and Vancouver absorbing the budget and lets you match messaging to local industries and seasons.
Is New Brunswick bilingual?
Yes. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada, with a large Francophone population. French campaigns are often worth testing there.
Can an agency in India manage Canadian campaigns?
Yes, with knowledge of Canadian rules, French creative and time-zone-aware scheduling. Our review time falls in Canadian early morning, so changes are live before traffic arrives.
How do we start with Ads Ninza?
Apply through the form on this page. On a paid discovery call, $9 for Canadian businesses, we review your markets, languages and campaigns with you. Services start at $500 per month outside India.