Of all the ways a foreign brand gets tripped up in Canada, labeling is the most common and the most avoidable. The rules are specific, they’re enforced, and in Quebec they come with daily fines. Here’s what you need on your packaging.

Two layers of rules

Labeling in Canada operates on two levels, and you have to satisfy both if you sell nationwide:

1. Federal bilingual requirements — most consumer products need English and French labeling, enforced through regulations like the Food and Drug Regulations and (for food) the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, overseen by the CFIA and other bodies.
2. Quebec’s Bill 96 — a provincial law that goes further, requiring French to be at least as prominent as any other language, with strict rules and steep penalties.

Meeting the federal rules but not Quebec’s still gets your product pulled in Quebec. Meeting Quebec’s rules generally keeps you safe federally too.

The federal baseline

For most prepackaged consumer goods sold at retail in Canada, both official languages are required on the label. That typically covers the product identity, key mandatory information, and — depending on category — directions, warnings, and regulated claims. A few specifics worth knowing:

• Mandatory information (things like directions and warnings) generally must appear in both English and French.
• Regulated claims must be bilingual — "organic" must also appear as "biologique"; nutrient claims must be expressed in both languages.
• Certain safety phrases (for example, "Keep Refrigerated") must always appear in both languages.
• Purely voluntary marketing text isn’t federally required to be bilingual unless it forms part of a regulated claim — though Quebec changes that calculus (below).

Quebec’s Bill 96: the stricter layer

Bill 96 strengthened Quebec’s Charter of the French Language, and several of its toughest provisions took effect June 1, 2025. For labeling and packaging, the core rule is prominence:

• French must be at least as prominent as any other language on packaging and labeling — in size, appearance, and impact.
• Non-French trademarks that contain a generic or descriptive term must show that descriptive portion in French elsewhere on the product.
• Websites and marketing aimed at Quebec customers must have a French version, and public-facing commercial text must be predominantly French.
• Enforcement is real — the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) acts on complaints, and fines can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars per day for a business.

There’s a transitional window: products manufactured before June 1, 2025 may generally be sold until June 1, 2027 even if not fully compliant, under specific conditions. But new production needs to comply now.

Why "just run it through machine translation" backfires

Quebec expects the French version to match the quality of the original. Machine output often reads as something no Quebec francophone would write, and the OQLF notices. Machine translation can be a starting tool, but human review by someone who knows Quebec French is what actually holds up under scrutiny.

What this means operationally

• Design bilingual labels from the start if Canada is in your plan — retrofitting is more expensive than doing it once.
• Treat Quebec as the strict standard — if your label satisfies Bill 96’s prominence rule, it generally satisfies the rest of Canada.
• Check your regulated claims — this is where compliant-looking labels quietly fail.
• Handle labeling before inventory reaches the warehouse floor, not after a shipment is held — the same principle that applies to FBA prep and Canadian compliance generally.

A fulfillment partner with Canadian experience will flag labeling gaps before they become border holds or pulled products. TXG’s Ontario operations mean Canadian labeling and compliance are checked as part of onboarding inventory, not discovered at the border.

FAQ

Does everything sold in Canada need bilingual labeling?
Most prepackaged consumer products need English and French on the label for mandatory information and regulated claims. Specific requirements vary by product category and are enforced by bodies like the CFIA.

What is Quebec’s Bill 96 in terms of labeling?
Bill 96 strengthened Quebec’s French-language charter. For labeling, French must be at least as prominent as any other language in size, appearance, and impact. Key provisions took effect June 1, 2025, and non-compliance carries daily fines.

Can I use the same label for all of Canada?
If your label meets Quebec’s stricter Bill 96 prominence requirements, it will generally satisfy federal bilingual rules too — so designing to the Quebec standard is the safest single-label approach.

Is machine translation acceptable for French labels?
It can be a starting point, but Quebec expects French that matches the quality of the original and machine output often falls short. Human review by someone familiar with Quebec French is strongly advised.

When do the Bill 96 labeling rules take full effect?
Major provisions took effect June 1, 2025. A transitional provision allows certain products manufactured before that date to be sold until June 1, 2027 under specific conditions, but new production must comply now.

Selling into Canada and unsure your labels comply? TXG checks Canadian and Quebec labeling requirements as part of onboarding your inventory into our Ontario warehouses. Get a fulfillment quote →

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your product’s labeling obligations with a qualified Canadian regulatory advisor.