Website development for Canadian businesses: bilingual, accessible and fast
By Kiara DalmiaContent Writer, Advorize
The short answer
Canadian websites often need English and French versions with correct hreflang tags, AODA-aligned accessibility, PIPEDA-aware consent on forms, CAD pricing with provincial taxes, and Interac alongside card payments.
Key takeaways
- Plan bilingual URL structure and hreflang before design.
- Translate, don't machine-copy; French UX copy needs a native reviewer.
- Accessibility to WCAG 2.2 AA covers AODA expectations.
- Consent and privacy notices on every form.
Bilingual SEO done properly
Use separate URLs for each language (for example /en/ and /fr/), link them with hreflang, and translate titles, descriptions and alt text — not only body copy.
Canadian build checklist
- /en/ and /fr/ URLs with hreflang and a language switcher.
- AODA / WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility.
- PIPEDA-aware consent and privacy links on forms.
- CAD pricing with GST/HST/PST shown correctly.
- Interac, debit and cards at checkout.
Learn more on multilingual website development, our Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary pages, and the web design in Canada portfolio page.
Sources
Written by
Kiara Dalmia
Content Writer, Advorize
Kiara writes Advorize's guides on design, development and digital systems, turning the team's project work into practical, plain-language answers.