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French Translation Services for Canada

french translation services for canada

Last updated on October 6th, 2022 at 03:48 pm

French Language Translation Services for Canada

French Canadian Language Service

We live, operate, and do business in Canada, a country that has two official languages: French and English.  A large portion of our population is bilingual, with the presence of many other languages through immigration, and there is a different degree of usage of English and French languages in the twelve Canadian provinces.  Two official languages mean doubling up on all materials released by private and public institutions, and these documents must mean and communicate the same information in each language.

 A company organization dealing with a multilingual and multicultural country requires a translation company to partner with for translation and interpretation services. In the area of French translation services, you need to have a team with a flawless degree of fluency only a native Canadian fluent in both French and English can offer, in order to understand the country, the culture, and facilitate the communication in both languages.

But what about industry standards?  What about terminology for specialized fields like medicine and engineering?  JR Language is a translation company in Toronto that handles English to French and French to English translation for Canadian businesses and organizations in any field, for different usages and in multiple file types and mediums such as Excel, Word, HTML, xliff, and InDesign among others. When we talk about medium, we are referring to a video, a website, an eLearning course that has multiple components, such as a PowerPoint presentation with graphics and voice-over.

Bilingualism in Canada

Many businesses in Canada are still operating in only one language, but the need for both French and English to be available is increasing and may now be mandatory depending on your province.  This is true for both outgoing and internal communication.  The provinces of Manitoba and New Brunswick are evenly bilingual.  Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island mainly use English but allow residents the choice to operate in French.  Ontario is unique in that some of the province uses only English and the rest uses English and French.  Quebec is now a French-only province.  Subsequently, the bilingualism in Canada is extremely important and propels the need to have information for clients, employees, and partners in both languages. Our translation company sees that translation from English into French is in high demand.

French Translation Requirements

Any business that wants to operate in the Canadian provinces must follow the language regulations of the provinces.  For example, in Quebec, employers must provide their employees with communications and internal materials in French, and all sales made in Quebec must make all written materials available in French.  We help businesses in Canada with French translation to help them stay in compliance and connect with more of the population. 

We also see many companies that want to present their services in French or want to operate and train their employees in French. Translation of contracts, websites, video training, technical manuals, and HR information is also in great demand.

French and English Translation for 2020

We are at a time where multilingual communication is more important than ever.  Canadian businesses and organizations are using English to French translation services in Quebec and the other provinces to strengthen relations with the local consumer community, the commercial community, and their governments.  French and English translation for Canada also opens the doors to better communication with the United States, with whom we share a 5,525-mile border, the longest border between two nations, and a goods and services trade worth billions in Canadian and American dollars every year. 

Localization in French Translation services

It’s important to localize your content to your intended audience when translating into French. The bulk of our work is done translating French to be used in Canada, but we also have clients that require French for Europe or for Africa. Knowing the audience is extremely important to localize well the content and to use the appropriate French translator team for the project.

In Canada, we usually have different logos for the English version and French version, examples are:

English French
Hudson’s Bay La baie D’Hudson
thebay.com labaie.com
Bank of Canada Banque du Canada
bankofcanada.ca banqueducanada.ca
World Vision Vision Mondiale
worldvision.ca visionmondiale.ca
CP Clinic CP Clinique

What We’re Translating for French Canada

Sometimes it helps to put our work into specific context.  Here are some of our English to French and French to English translation projects for Canada. 

  • Websites.  A business that sells products or services in Quebec or has an address in Quebec must have a French website by law.  This includes ecommerce, terms and conditions, receipts, and more. 
  • A business using French website translation should also use French translation services for their social media, marketing, and branding material. This ties into localization in that it will make a message fit in with the preferences of the intended audience.
  • Human Resources documents and other internal business documents must be translated to stay in legal compliance across language groups and provinces. Safety manuals, anti-sexual harassment training, user manuals, campus maps, and contact sheets should be available in French, English, and any other language needed.
  • French financial document translation not only helps businesses stay in legal compliance; it helps businesses grow.  By using French document translation, business owners can present their business plans, proposals, and prospect information to potential investors and partners with confidence.
  • French legal document translation is a must for any Canadian business and intersects with HR, finance, and sales.  Any Canadian business should be able to have instant access to legal documents translated into English or French by a legal professional.  These legal documents include patents, certificates, licenses, permits, and more.
  • French medical translation in Canada saves lives, speeds up processes, and prevents undue pain and suffering.  Patients get the best care from medical institutions using medical translation for their charts, intake and discharge documents, medication labels, and aftercare instructions.

Why Translate into Canadian French?

By using French and English translation, Canadian businesses stay in legal compliance, but there are other benefits.  Adding a language to your business’s repertoire opens you up to countless opportunities. 

  • Multilingual SEO.  You want to hit the front page of search engines in both English and French.
  • Multilingual reviews.  Word of mouth is still the most effective method of advertising and seeing that a member of their language group had a good experience with your business is a sure way to get more sales in that language group. 
  • Multilingual connections.  Your best vendor might be one translated email away.
  • Multilingual hiring.  Your next best salesperson will feel more comfortable submitting their resume when your business has been flawlessly translated.

Give us a call today to talk about your French and English translation needs and see where embracing Canada’s bilingualism can take your company. 

Geraldine d'Empaire
Geraldine d'Empaire
Geraldine is a lawyer with +25 years of corporate and international law experience, focusing on cross border transactions. She is the managing director of JR Language Translations Canada.