Website redesign for an accounting and tax firm in Quebec City: budget, timeline and risks (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a Quebec City practice focused on personal tax for individuals and expatriates, the redesign is mostly about the multilingual journey: a newcomer who reads English or Spanish should understand within a minute that they file two returns, one federal and one with Revenu Québec, and how to get in touch. With Kolonell this is the Premium tier at USD 8,900 (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote), against roughly USD 11,000 to 26,000 at a Quebec City agency with translation. The main risk is technical: broken hreflang or English URLs without a French counterpart can wipe out rankings built over years.

Which signs show the current site no longer serves international clients?

Tax practices in the capital, from Saint-Roch to Sainte-Foy and Lebourgneuf, work with public servants, retirees, international researchers and students connected to Université Laval, temporary foreign workers and Quebecers back from a stay abroad. Warning signs:

• An English version cut down to three pages, without the expat services or the fee page.
• A language switch that sends visitors to the home page instead of the matching page.
• No explanation of the two returns (federal and Quebec), although it is the first question newcomers ask.
• A form that asks for a SIN or a passport copy, which a public form should never collect.
• No up-to-date privacy page, while Quebec's Law 25 requires more transparency from Quebec businesses.

What budget, depending on the number of languages?

Local ranges are a 2026 ballpark from typical agency quotes and public rate pages in Quebec City, converted from CAD at about 0.73. External translation is a third-party cost.

Starter at USD 2,900 remains an option for a very simple single-language practice, but it does not cover a multilingual journey. The international offer includes a project manager in your time zone, native English or French copywriting and 3 months of support; maintenance afterwards is on quote.

What stays on quote: client portal, secure document upload, e-signature, embedded booking and links to tax preparation or accounting software. These tools are linked or embedded from the vendor, never rebuilt inside a fixed-grid site.

How do you migrate a multilingual site without losing rankings?

URL structure decides the outcome. Example for key pages:

Risks to handle, in order:

• Hreflang and redirects: inventory every URL in both languages, a line-by-line 301 map, Search Console monitored for 4 weeks.
• French language: the Charter of the French language requires French to be available, with English as a complement. The French content must not be a reduced version.
• Law 25: the privacy notice, the person in charge of the protection of personal information and the handling of cookies are reviewed by the firm before go-live.
• Regulated titles: the CPA title and references to the Ordre des CPA du Québec appear only as each person is actually entitled, checked by the firm.
• Forms: name, contact details, preferred language and type of need. No SIN, no slips, no passport. Documents go through the portal.
• Calendar: no switch between February and 30 April; September to November is the safest window.

Client identification for anti-money-laundering purposes remains the firm's own process. This is not legal advice.

When is a Quebec City agency still the better choice?

A local agency makes sense if you want in-person meetings at every step, a full brand strategy, or one contract covering site, portal and advertising campaigns. It also fits if your main need is a local outdoor campaign. If you need a clean, well-written multilingual site with a rigorous migration, a remote studio at a fixed price works. Questions to ask any provider: who writes each language, how hreflang is checked, who reviews the Law 25 privacy notice, and which dates are excluded for launch.

Mini case study

*Illustrative example, fictional firm.* Bureau fiscal Cap-Diamant, a personal tax practice in Quebec City, serves expatriates and newcomers. Its site has 22 pages in French and only 6 in English; Spanish-speaking clients often email because no content fits them.

• Quebec City agency, three languages: CAD 24,000, about USD 17,500, plus external translation of about 12,000 words at CAD 0.25 per word, CAD 3,000 or about USD 2,200 (third-party cost). Total: about USD 19,700.
• Kolonell Premium: USD 8,900, three languages set in the quote, native copywriting included, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready.

The difference is about USD 10,800. The firm grows its English pages from 6 to 22 and adds 22 Spanish pages, each linked through hreflang.

FAQ

Can we run an English-only site for expatriates?

No, a business in Quebec must make French available. The usual model is a complete French site with 1 or 2 additional languages.

How many languages does Premium cover?

Premium at USD 8,900 is the multilingual tier: languages are set in the quote according to your clients. The page scope is the same in each language.

Do we need to redo hreflang if our URLs change?

Yes, each URL pair must reference the other and the old address must be redirected with a 301. Allow 2 to 3 days for a site of 40 to 60 URLs.

What should the site publish under Law 25?

At minimum a clear privacy notice and the contact details of the person in charge of the protection of personal information. The firm approves the text before go-live.

When should we start?

Start writing in May or June for a September go-live. That leaves 12 to 16 weeks of margin before the next season.

Let's scope your project. A multilingual tax practice site with clean hreflang, a 301 map and a go-live outside tax season, USD 8,900 on Premium, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks once content is ready. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.