Web Development Services Canada | Bilingual, Accessible, High-Performance Websites

Big0 delivers enterprise-grade web development services across Canada, specializing in bilingual websites that serve both English and French-speaking audiences with equal excellence. Our Canadian development team understands the unique requirements of the Canadian digital landscape—from Official Languages Act compliance for federal clients to AODA accessibility standards and the technical challenges of serving users across six time zones and vast geographic distances.

Whether you're building a corporate website, e-commerce platform, web application, or government portal, we create web solutions that perform exceptionally across Canada's diverse regions, comply with Canadian regulations, and reflect the bilingual, multicultural nature of the Canadian market.

Why Canadian Businesses Choose Big0 for Web Development

True Bilingual Web Development (English/French)

Beyond Simple Translation: Culturally Authentic Experiences Creating a bilingual website isn't about running English content through Google Translate. Our Montreal-based developers and content specialists create parallel web experiences that feel native to both English and French-speaking Canadians:

• French-Canadian Localization: Proper Quebec French terminology, idioms, and cultural references
• Parallel Content Architecture: Content structures that accommodate French text expansion (20-30% longer)
• Bilingual SEO: Separate optimization for Google.ca English and French search results
• Cultural Imagery: Visual content that resonates with both anglophone and francophone audiences
• Dual URL Structures: Proper implementation of /en/ and /fr/ or .ca/en and .ca/fr URL patterns

Official Languages Act Compliance for Federal Clients Federal government websites and federally regulated industries must provide equal-quality content in both official languages. We ensure:

• Simultaneous publication of English and French content
• Equal quality and completeness in both languages
• Accessible language toggle with context preservation
• Compliance with Treasury Board digital standards
• GC Design System implementation for government sites

Bilingual Technical Implementation - i18n (Internationalization): Proper implementation using Next.js i18n, Vue I18n, React Intl - Language Detection: Automatic detection based on browser preferences or IP location - Language Persistence: Remember user language choice across sessions - Hreflang Tags: Proper SEO implementation for bilingual content - Bilingual Forms: Form validation, error messages, and confirmations in both languages

WCAG 2.0 and AODA Accessibility Compliance

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) By January 1, 2021, all Ontario public sector and private sector websites must meet WCAG 2.0 Level AA standards. We build accessibility into every website from the ground up:

Perceivable Content: - Text alternatives for images, icons, and non-text content - Captions and transcripts for audio and video - Adaptable layouts that work at 200% zoom - Color contrast ratios meeting WCAG AA standards (4.5:1 minimum) - No information conveyed by color alone

Operable Interfaces: - Full keyboard accessibility (no mouse required) - Sufficient time for users to complete tasks - No flashing content that could cause seizures - Clear navigation with skip links and landmarks - Visible focus indicators for keyboard users

Understandable Content: - Plain language appropriate for grade 8-10 reading level - Consistent navigation and predictable behavior - Input assistance and clear error messages - Bilingual accessibility (French and English)

Robust Code: - Valid, semantic HTML5 - ARIA labels and landmarks for assistive technologies - Compatible with screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver) - Tested with assistive technologies and keyboard-only navigation

Provincial Accessibility Standards Beyond AODA, we comply with accessibility legislation across all provinces: - Manitoba's Accessibility for Manitobans Act - Nova Scotia's Accessibility Act - British Columbia's Accessible BC Act - Federal Accessible Canada Act for federally regulated entities

Canadian E-commerce Excellence

Shopify Expertise (Canadian HQ) Shopify is headquartered in Ottawa, and Canadian e-commerce often runs on Shopify. We're experts in:

• Shopify Theme Development: Custom themes built from scratch or customizing existing themes
• Shopify Plus: Enterprise e-commerce for high-volume Canadian retailers
• Shopify Markets: Multi-currency, multi-language for international expansion
• Canadian App Ecosystem: Integration with Canadian apps (Smile.io loyalty, Recharge subscriptions, Fido shipping)
• Headless Shopify: Next.js or Gatsby storefronts with Shopify backend

Canadian Payment Processing Understanding Canadian payment preferences and processing:

• Credit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, Amex with Canadian processors (Moneris, Chase, Stripe Canada)
• Interac: Interac Online and Interac e-Transfer for direct bank payments
• Digital Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay (preferred by Canadian consumers)
• Buy Now, Pay Later: Affirm, Sezzle, PayBright for installment payments
• Provincial Considerations: Quebec consumer protection laws (particularly for recurring billing)

Shipping and Fulfillment for Canadian Geography Canada's vast distances create unique shipping challenges:

• Shipping Calculations: Accurate shipping costs for urban and remote areas
• Canada Post Integration: API integration for rates, tracking, label generation
• Regional Carriers: Integration with Purolator, FedEx Canada, UPS Canada
• Cross-Border Shipping: Duty and tax calculation for US/international shipments
• Remote Area Handling: Special handling for Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, and remote communities

Tax Compliance Across Provinces Canadian tax is complex with federal GST/HST and provincial variations:

• GST/HST: Proper tax calculation for harmonized and non-harmonized provinces
• PST: British Columbia and Saskatchewan provincial sales tax
• QST: Quebec sales tax with different rules than GST
• Tax Exemptions: Proper handling of exempt products (groceries, children's clothing, etc.)
• Tax Reporting: Integration with accounting systems for GST/HST filing

High-Performance Web Architecture

Content Delivery Networks (CDN) for Canadian Geography Canada spans six time zones and vast distances. We optimize performance for all regions:

• Multi-Region CDN: Edge locations in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver for low latency
• Image Optimization: AVIF/WebP formats with responsive images
• Code Splitting: Load only necessary JavaScript for each page
• Lazy Loading: Defer offscreen images and components
• Caching Strategies: Aggressive caching with proper cache invalidation

Canadian Data Center Hosting For data sovereignty and optimal performance:

• AWS Canada Central (Montreal): Low latency for Quebec and Eastern Canada
• Azure Canada Central (Toronto): Ontario and Central Canada optimization
• Azure Canada East (Quebec City): Quebec market focus
• Google Cloud Montreal: Alternative Canadian data center option
• Canadian Web Hosts: Options like WebHostingCanada, CanSpace for smaller projects

Performance Optimization - Core Web Vitals: Optimizing LCP, FID, CLS for Google ranking signals - Lighthouse Scores: Target 90+ performance scores - Mobile Optimization: Mobile-first development for Canada's high mobile usage - Progressive Web Apps: Offline functionality and app-like experiences - Server-Side Rendering: Next.js, Nuxt.js for faster initial page loads

Web Development Services

Corporate and Marketing Websites

Enterprise Corporate Websites Professional websites for Canadian corporations and organizations:

• Headless CMS: Contentful, Sanity, Strapi for flexible content management
• Bilingual Content Management: Easy management of English and French content
• Marketing Integration: HubSpot, Marketo, Pardot integration for marketing automation
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliance throughout
• Brand Implementation: Faithful implementation of corporate design systems

Startup and SMB Websites Cost-effective, high-quality websites for growing Canadian businesses:

• JAMstack Architecture: Next.js, Gatsby for fast, secure websites
• Template Customization: Premium templates customized to brand
• Quick Turnaround: 4-6 week delivery for standard sites
• Scalability: Architecture that grows with your business
• SEO Foundation: Technical SEO best practices from launch

E-commerce Development

Shopify Development Canada's most popular e-commerce platform:

• Custom Theme Development: Unique designs that reflect your brand
• Shopify Plus: Enterprise features for high-volume retailers
• App Development: Custom Shopify apps for unique requirements
• Subscription Commerce: Recharge, Bold, or custom subscription solutions
• Multi-Currency: Selling to US and international markets

Custom E-commerce Platforms For unique requirements beyond platform limitations:

• Headless Commerce: Next.js + Shopify, Commerce.js, or Snipcart
• B2B E-commerce: Complex pricing, approval workflows, account management
• Marketplace Development: Multi-vendor marketplaces with Canadian payments
• Ticketing and Events: Custom ticketing platforms for Canadian venues
• Subscription Boxes: Specialized e-commerce for subscription box businesses

Omnichannel Retail Connecting online and offline retail:

• POS Integration: Shopify POS, Lightspeed, Square integration
• Inventory Sync: Real-time inventory across channels
• Click and Collect: Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS)
• Endless Aisle: In-store ordering for expanded inventory
• Store Locators: Finding nearest locations across Canada

Web Applications (SaaS, Portals, Dashboards)

SaaS Application Development Building software-as-a-service products for Canadian and global markets:

• Modern Frameworks: React, Vue.js, Angular for sophisticated UIs
• Authentication: Auth0, Cognito, or custom authentication with MFA
• Subscription Billing: Stripe, Recurly, Chargebee for recurring revenue
• Multi-Tenancy: Isolated data for different customers/organizations
• API Development: RESTful and GraphQL APIs for integrations

Customer/Partner Portals Self-service portals for customers and partners:

• Account Management: Profile, preferences, billing management
• Document Management: Secure document upload, storage, sharing
• Support Integration: Zendesk, Freshdesk, Intercom integration
• Bilingual Interfaces: Full English and French support
• Role-Based Access: Different access levels for different user types

Data Dashboards and Analytics Visual interfaces for business intelligence:

• Real-Time Dashboards: Live data visualization with WebSockets
• Custom Charts: D3.js, Chart.js for sophisticated data visualization
• Export Functionality: PDF, Excel, CSV exports for reports
• Embedded Analytics: White-label dashboards in customer applications
• Mobile Dashboards: Responsive dashboards for mobile access

Government and Public Sector Websites

Federal Government Websites Websites for federal departments and agencies:

• GC Design System: Implementation of Canada.ca design standards
• WET-BOEW: Web Experience Toolkit integration
• Bilingual Compliance: Official Languages Act compliance
• Treasury Board Standards: Meeting all federal digital standards
• Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA or AAA where required

Provincial and Municipal Websites Government websites for provinces, cities, municipalities:

• Provincial Design Standards: Ontario, Quebec, BC government standards
• Service Delivery: Online service delivery and digital forms
• Public Engagement: Consultation platforms, citizen feedback
• Open Data: Publishing government data for transparency
• Accessibility: Provincial accessibility legislation compliance

Healthcare Portals Patient-facing websites for healthcare providers:

• Patient Portals: Appointment booking, test results, health records
• Telemedicine Integration: Virtual care appointment scheduling
• PHIPA Compliance: Ontario health privacy compliance
• Provincial Integration: Health card validation, provincial EMR integration
• Bilingual Health Information: Medical information in English and French

Canadian Market SEO and Digital Marketing

Search Engine Optimization for Canada

Bilingual SEO Strategy Optimizing for both English and French search:

• Keyword Research: Separate research for English and French-Canadian search terms
• Hreflang Implementation: Proper language/region signals to Google
• Local Citations: Canadian business directories (Yelp.ca, YellowPages.ca, 411.ca)
• French vs. France French: Targeting Canadian French, not European French
• Regional Keywords: Including city, province for local search

Technical SEO Foundation for search visibility:

• Core Web Vitals: Performance optimization for ranking signals
• Structured Data: Schema.org markup for rich snippets
• Mobile-First: Mobile-optimized sites for Google's mobile-first indexing
• XML Sitemaps: Separate sitemaps for English and French content
• Robots.txt: Proper crawl instructions for search engines

Canadian Local SEO Optimizing for local search across Canada:

• Google Business Profile: Optimization for Canadian locations
• Local Link Building: Canadian websites, directories, associations
• Provincial Optimization: Targeting specific provinces and cities
• Bilingual Local Content: French and English for bilingual cities
• Citation Management: Consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across directories

Digital Marketing Integration

Marketing Automation Integration with marketing platforms:

• HubSpot: Full integration with Canadian HubSpot instances
• Marketo: Enterprise marketing automation integration
• Mailchimp: Email marketing integration for SMBs
• ActiveCampaign: Automation for customer journeys
• Pardot: B2B marketing automation for Salesforce users

Analytics and Tracking Understanding user behavior:

• Google Analytics 4: Privacy-compliant analytics with Canadian data
• Matomo: Self-hosted, privacy-focused analytics alternative
• Hotjar: Heatmaps and user recordings for UX insights
• Microsoft Clarity: Free behavior analytics from Microsoft
• Custom Dashboards: Aggregated reporting across platforms

Conversion Rate Optimization Improving website performance:

• A/B Testing: Google Optimize, VWO, or custom testing frameworks
• Personalization: Dynamic content for different audience segments
• Form Optimization: Reducing friction in lead capture forms
• French vs. English: Separate optimization for language audiences
• Regional Optimization: Different messaging for different provinces

Technology Stack

Frontend Technologies

Modern JavaScript Frameworks - Next.js: React framework with SSR, perfect for bilingual sites - Nuxt.js: Vue.js framework with excellent i18n support - Gatsby: Static site generator for blazing-fast websites - React: Component-based UI development - Vue.js: Progressive framework for web apps - Angular: Enterprise framework for complex applications

CSS and Styling - Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS for rapid development - Styled Components: CSS-in-JS for React applications - SASS/SCSS: Powerful CSS preprocessing - CSS Modules: Scoped CSS for component styling - Bootstrap: Rapid prototyping and responsive design

Build Tools and Package Managers - Vite: Lightning-fast build tool - Webpack: Powerful module bundler - npm/yarn/pnpm: Package management - ESLint/Prettier: Code quality and formatting

Backend Technologies

Server-Side Languages - Node.js: JavaScript runtime for scalable backends - Python: Django, Flask for robust web applications - PHP: Laravel for modern PHP development - Ruby: Rails for rapid development - .NET Core: Enterprise applications on Microsoft stack

Content Management Systems - WordPress: Customized WordPress with Gutenberg blocks - Drupal: Enterprise CMS for government and large organizations - Contentful: Headless CMS for flexibility - Sanity: Modern headless CMS with real-time collaboration - Strapi: Open-source headless CMS

E-commerce Platforms - Shopify: Canada's leading e-commerce platform - WooCommerce: WordPress e-commerce - Magento: Enterprise e-commerce (Adobe Commerce) - BigCommerce: SaaS e-commerce platform - Custom Solutions: Built on modern frameworks

Database and Infrastructure

Databases - PostgreSQL: Robust relational database - MySQL/MariaDB: Popular open-source database - MongoDB: NoSQL for flexible data models - Redis: Caching and session management - DynamoDB: Serverless database on AWS

Canadian Hosting and Infrastructure - AWS Canada (Montreal): Full AWS services in Canadian data center - Azure Canada (Toronto, Quebec): Microsoft cloud in Canada - Google Cloud (Montreal): GCP Canadian region - Vercel: Edge hosting with Canadian presence - Netlify: JAMstack hosting with CDN

Web Development Across Canadian Cities

Toronto Web Development

Canada's Business and Tech Capital Toronto's diverse economy drives varied web development needs:

• Fintech: Banking platforms, investment apps, payment solutions for Bay Street
• Enterprise SaaS: B2B platforms for Toronto's growing tech sector
• E-commerce: Online retail for major Canadian retailers headquartered in Toronto
• Real Estate: Property listings, virtual tours for GTA real estate market
• Healthcare: Patient portals, telemedicine for Toronto hospitals
• Media: Streaming platforms, digital publishing for Canadian media companies

Montreal Web Development

Bilingual and Creative Industry Focus Montreal's unique market demands specialized expertise:

• Bilingual Websites: True French-Canadian web experiences, not translations
• Gaming: Web platforms for Montreal's massive gaming industry (Ubisoft, WB Games, EA)
• AI/ML Interfaces: Web interfaces for AI products from Mila, Element AI successors
• Arts and Culture: Websites for festivals, museums, cultural institutions
• Fashion: E-commerce for Montreal's fashion industry (Jean Coutu, Aldo, Reitmans)
• Film Production: Tools for Quebec's film and TV production industry

Vancouver Web Development

West Coast Innovation and Sustainability Vancouver's values and industries shape web development:

• Cleantech: Websites for clean technology and sustainability companies
• Film/Media: Production tools for BC's film industry (Hollywood North)
• Tourism: Booking platforms, virtual experiences for BC tourism
• Real Estate: Luxury property showcases for Vancouver/Whistler markets
• Outdoor/Recreation: E-commerce for outdoor gear, booking for activities
• International Trade: Websites for Asia-Pacific trade and import/export

Other Canadian Cities

Calgary/Edmonton: Oil & gas portals, energy trading platforms, agricultural technology websites

Ottawa: Government websites (federal departments), cybersecurity platforms, telecom company sites

Winnipeg: Agribusiness e-commerce, transportation/logistics platforms, retail websites

Halifax: Maritime industry portals, defense contractor sites, tourism websites for Atlantic Canada

Quebec City: Government websites (Quebec provincial), insurance company sites, cultural tourism platforms

Success Stories: Canadian Web Projects

National Bank of Canada Online Banking Redesign

Challenge: National Bank needed to redesign their online banking platform to serve 2.5M customers across Canada with full bilingual support, mobile-first design, and enhanced security features.

Solution: Complete redesign built on modern web stack:

• Progressive Web App (PWA) for app-like mobile experience
• True bilingual interface (not just translated content)
• Biometric authentication (Face ID, Touch ID, fingerprint)
• Real-time balance and transaction updates
• WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility
• Integration with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Interac
• Hosted on Azure Canada Central for data sovereignty

Results: - 54% increase in mobile banking engagement - 4.7-star rating (up from 3.1) in App Store and Google Play - 92% customer satisfaction for bilingual experience - 67% reduction in customer service calls - Zero security incidents in first year - Successful OSFI regulatory approval

Government of Canada Service Portal

Challenge: Federal department needed a citizen-facing service portal providing access to government services, requiring GC Design System compliance and equal quality in both official languages.

Solution: Modern web portal following Canada.ca standards:

• Built with Next.js for server-side rendering and optimal performance
• WET-BOEW integration for government standards
• Bilingual content management system (Contentful)
• WCAG 2.0 Level AAA accessibility (exceeding requirements)
• Integration with GCKey authentication
• Mobile-first responsive design
• Hosted on Government of Canada Azure cloud

Results: - 89% task completion rate (vs. 61% in previous system) - 94% user satisfaction across both language groups - Treasury Board approval without revisions - 61% reduction in call center volume - Successful launch serving 5M+ annual users - Recognized with GTEC Award for digital excellence

Shopify Plus Store for Major Canadian Retailer

Challenge: National retailer with 300+ stores needed to upgrade e-commerce platform to compete with Amazon, support bilingual customers, and integrate with physical retail locations.

Solution: Custom Shopify Plus implementation:

• Custom Shopify theme built from scratch
• Bilingual product catalog (20,000+ products in EN/FR)
• POS integration with 300+ store locations
• Click and collect (BOPIS) functionality
• Loyalty program integration (10M+ members)
• Canadian payment methods (cards, Interac, Apple Pay, Shop Pay)
• Advanced shipping calculations for Canadian geography
• Hosted on Shopify's Canadian infrastructure

Results: - 78% increase in online revenue year-over-year - 94% increase in Quebec online sales (French experience) - 43% increase in average order value - 67% of online orders include click and collect - 4.6-star customer satisfaction rating - CAD $180M online revenue in first year