Make Doing
Business In Quebec Easier
With Proper
Labeling And Translation
In their first experience
as exporters of goods to
Canada, some U.S. companies
may have faced certain
difficulties related to
language, particularly if the
product was marketed in
Quebec. Usually the
difficulties reported involve
the translation of commercial
documents, invoices, product
labeling and other literature
requirements. This is also
often the case for American
companies doing business in
developed countries where
other official languages,
aside from English, are
present. Nowadays, a number of
on-line translation companies
offer one stop shopping for
product literature and
labeling translation services
for American companies doing
business in Canada. These
on-line businesses can help
exporters quickly overcome the
language barrier. Some on-line
businesses offer turnkey
projects and will handle all
of the translation
requirements from beginning to
end. This will ensure proper
labeling and translation to
really make doing business in
Quebec, and Canada easy!
IMPLICATIONS FOR U.S.
BUSINESSES
Translation is at the heart
of doing business in a country
like Canada where there are
two official languages: French
and English. Most Quebec
businessmen speak English,
thus eliminating the verbal
barrier. However, certain
rules and regulations
pertaining to the written
language used in trade
documents must be respected to
avoid a shipment being refused
at the border by Canada
Customs. These requirements
have been set by legislation
from The British North America
Act, the Official Languages
Act and the Quebec Charter of
the French Language. These
laws then together state that
trade documents, product
labels and
operating/instruction manuals
are to be provided in both
languages.
Except in cases where the
product is a test
market product, a local
product, a specialty
product, or a product
for which knowledge of a
specific language is required,
the product identity must be
given in both English and
French. Bilingual labeling
requirements can also vary
depending on the type of
product (textile as opposed to
metal for example) and the
packaging used. Please refer
to this Canadian government
web site address providing
useful labeling assessment
tools:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/cp01103e.html
The following are sites
which may make your business
in Quebec both easier and more
rewarding:
MEETING YOUR TRANSLATION
AND PRODUCT LABELING NEEDS
ON-LINE
Although many companies
have offered, for a long time,
tailored translation services
to meet the requirements of
businesses wishing to export
to Canada and more precisely
in Quebec, very few have
acquired a reputation for
providing these specialized
services on-line. Nowadays
with the internet and
e-commerce, finding an on-line
translating company is
becoming the easiest and most
efficient way to make sure
that all of the rules and
regulations with regards to
labeling, invoicing and so on
are met. Companies like
Carcajou Communications (http://www.carcajou.com)
, CC Translation Services (http://www.english-to-french.com),
to name only a few, are
examples of firms that can
immediately and economically
cater to the document and
product labeling translation
needs of any company. Most of
these on-line companies offer
free on-line estimates and
turnkey services. US companies
can now make sure they meet
all of the requirements of
doing business both in English
and in French throughout
Canada, and especially in
Quebec where it is critical,
in a one shop-stop-hassle-free
style.
These on-line companies
will ensure, at an affordable
cost, that all of the
complexities of the rules and
regulations are met. These
businesses also rely on the
services of experts in all
industry sectors. This means
that regardless of the
product, US exporters should
consider using b2b translation
businesses to fulfill their
needs.
Also with e-commerce now
being at the forefront of many
industries, many of these
on-line translating companies
can also provide translation
of web sites which can be
tricky. They can help with the
designing and translation of
web sites should a company
wish to adapt it to its
clientele.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR U.S.
BUSINESS
With the US-Canada trade
reaching more than $1 billion
US per day, the Canadian
market is not one that should
be overlooked. The proximity,
some cultural commonality and
the free-trade relationship
are all things that make it
easy to do business in Canada.
For US companies it has never
been easier to adapt their
products to the Canadian
market. On-line translation
services contribute to this.
Using the services of experts
in the translation field will
ensure that your customers,
whether it be in English or in
French, get the same uniform
message that you wish to
portray of your company and
the quality of it's products.
For more information on the
contents of this report,
please contact Annie Prescott,
Commercial Specialist, Us
Consulate General, Quebec
City, Canada at 418-692-2097
or fax 418-692-4640 and email annie.prescott@mail.doc.gov
CONTACT US!
For more information on
doing business in Canada, U.S.
companies should contact the
U.S. Commercial Service in
Canada (CS Canada). To assist
U.S. exporters of
non-agricultural products
entering new markets, CS
Canada offers a variety of
resources and services
including: market research,
agent/distributor searches,
and corporate matchmaking.
Prospective U.S. exporters are
also encouraged to explore the
Canadian market through the
Gold Key Service which enables
U.S. firms to travel to major
Canadian cities and meet
one-on-one with prospective
agents, distributors and
buyers. The Canadian market,
in particular, represents a
good "first step"
for new-to-export companies
seeking a new and exciting
opportunity, and we welcome
the chance to assist you.
Think "Canada
First!"
CS offices in Canada can be
contacted at the following
telephone numbers: CS Halifax,
(902) 429-2482; CS Quebec,
(418) 692-2087; CS Montreal,
(514) 398-9695; CS Ottawa
(613) 688-5217; CS Toronto
(416) 595-5412; CS Calgary
(403) 265-2116; and CS
Vancouver (604) 685-3382. CS
Canada is also on the World
Wide Web at: http://www.buyusa.gov/canada/en/.
Our Canada events and
related on-line information in
Canada can be found at http://www.tsnn.com/.
We want to know about your
successes! We want to know how
our efforts best assist U.S.
companies. If this report
alerts you to a commercial
opportunity in Canada, which
you subsequently pursue
successfully, please let us
know!
Please see our companion
articles on the Canadian
Market:
Is
it There Yet?
Canada - MAPS
Maximize
Sales in Canada
NAFTA
Certicficate of Origin
You
Want to Sell in Canada,
Eh?
Temporary
Entry Requirements for
Canada
Date Updated: March 27, 2007
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