Quebec, French and the rules Canadian advertising runs on
This is the part of the Canadian market that catches out brands arriving from elsewhere. French in Quebec commercial advertising is written into law rather than left to preference, the province adds obligations that do not exist federally, and the rules on claims, disclosure and contests apply the moment a creator opens their mouth. General information, not legal advice.
24 guides
Adapting an English Campaign for Quebec, Not Translating It
A translated script sounds translated, and Quebec audiences hear it immediately. What actually has to change beyond the words.
Alcohol Advertising Rules and UGC in Canada
Every province sets its own rules, and a national campaign has to satisfy the strictest of them.
Canada s Anti Spam Law and Creator Outreach
One of the strictest anti spam regimes in the world, and it applies to the cold email a brand sends a creator.
Casting Quebec Creators Properly
A French speaker from France is not a substitute, and the audience notices within one sentence.
Cultural References That Only Work in Quebec
A market with its own television, its own comedians and its own shared jokes, none of which travel from Toronto.
Disclosing Paid Content in Canada
When a creator has to say a video is paid, how clearly, and why burying it in a caption does not count.
Dub the Video or Film It Again in French
Subtitles, voice over and a second shoot cost three different amounts and produce three very different results.
GST and QST for UGC Creators in Quebec
Two taxes instead of one, a registration threshold that decides when you charge them, and the line most creators get wrong on their first invoice.
Made in Canada Claims in Creator Video
Two different claims with two different thresholds, and a buying public that now checks.
Misleading Advertising Rules and UGC in Canada
What counts as a misleading representation in Canada, why the general impression is what matters, and where creator video gets brands into trouble.
Packaging, Labelling and What the Video Shows
The box in your creator video is subject to labelling rules, and a unilingual package on camera is a visible problem.
Privacy Rules and UGC Filming in Canada
Filming people, collecting data and the Quebec rules that go further than the federal ones.
Quebec French or International French in Your Scripts
Which one a client is actually asking for, how to tell, and why delivering the wrong one costs you the reshoot.
Quebec Language Law and Your Advertising
What the Charter actually requires of commercial advertising, and the difference between having French and being compliant.
Running a Contest in Canada Without Breaking the Rules
Skill testing questions, published rules and the extra Quebec requirements that catch out most brands.
Self Employed or Incorporated as a Creator in Quebec
When working under your own name is enough, what changes if you incorporate, and why the answer is usually later than people think.
Substantiating Performance Claims in Canada
A performance claim has to be tested before it airs, not after somebody complains. What that means for a creator script.
The Buy Local Reflex in Quebec
A consumer habit strong enough to change a purchase, and a claim that gets checked in the comments within an hour.
The French Language Rules for Advertising in Quebec
French is required in commercial advertising in Quebec and has to be at least as prominent as any other language. What that means for a UGC campaign.
The Quebec Commercial Calendar
Moving day on the first of July, the sugar shack season, the winter carnival and a national holiday nobody else has. Dates that do not exist elsewhere in Canada.
The Quebec Media Ecosystem and Why It Matters
Quebec watches its own television and follows its own stars, which changes who is credible and what a creator is worth.
Why You Cannot Advertise to Children in Quebec
Quebec bans commercial advertising directed at children under thirteen. The rule catches brands off guard and it applies to creator video too.
Working From Quebec for Clients Outside the Province
Being bilingual in a market that needs both languages is an export advantage. How to bill Toronto and New York from Montreal.
Working With Montreal Agencies as a Creator
A dense agency market with its own habits: how they buy, what they expect and how to get on their list.