Data protection and accessibility for a private or international school website in Montreal: what to require (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

A Montreal private school website handles sensitive personal information: children's identities, parents' contact details, report cards and sometimes health or special needs information. Your provider should deliver an architecture built for Law 25 (privacy policy, cookie management, minimal forms, documented hosting) and an accessibility target of WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 level AA. Write these requirements into the contract from day one, because adding them after launch often costs two to three times more.

Whether you run a college in Outremont, an international school in Côte-des-Neiges offering the International Baccalaureate or an English-language school in Westmount, families compare your site before they ever visit. An admission form that asks for too much, or a student photo gallery published without consent, erodes trust quickly.

This English version is written for English-speaking school leaders and founders in Montreal; the framework is the same as in the French original.

What does the Quebec framework say, in plain terms?

Private schools in Quebec fall under the Act respecting private education and the Ministry of Education. For the website, three frameworks matter most. This is not legal advice: confirm your situation with your counsel.

Law 25 modernized Quebec's private sector privacy law. Among other things, it requires a designated person in charge of the protection of personal information (by default the person with the highest authority, who can delegate the role), a clear published privacy policy, consent for non-essential cookies and, for some technology projects, a privacy impact assessment.

The Charter of the French Language requires French to be available. An English-language school can run its main site in English, but the French version must exist and be at least as accessible. Check the details with your counsel.

Accessibility: Quebec government standards mainly target public bodies. For a private school, WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA remains the practical benchmark, and it helps families where a parent or student has a disability.

What should you require from your web provider?

The most neglected item is the admission form. Many schools ask for the child's date of birth, report card and special needs at first contact. A more careful approach: a short inquiry form (parent name, email, grade sought), then the full file in a secure area once a visit is booked.

Another blind spot is third-party tools. A form hosted by a US service, an ad pixel or an embedded map can send data outside Quebec. Law 25 sets obligations for communicating personal information outside Quebec: list every tool and have the list reviewed.

What does a compliant site cost, and with which provider?

Local amounts are a 2026 ballpark based on typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages, in CAD converted approximately to USD.

The $2,900 Starter tier suits a small school with five pages and a single contact form. For a full site in French and English, Premium is the right tier. All three tiers include a project manager reachable on Eastern time, native English or French copywriting, delivery in 3 to 4 weeks and 3 months of support. A parent portal, secure document upload and any custom application are on quote. Full details are on the international offer page.

Mini case study

Illustrative example. Helen is head of school at Mount Royal International School, 420 students, Quebec curriculum and International Baccalaureate. Her current site collects admission files through a third-party form with 22 fields, including special needs.

She chooses Premium at $8,900 (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote), a secure upload area on quote, estimated here at $2,500, and an external accessibility audit at CAD 5,000, about USD 3,600 (third-party cost). Total: 8,900 + 2,500 + 3,600 = USD 15,000.

The new initial form has only 6 fields. The other 16 are collected in the secure area after the visit. Across 300 inquiries a year, the school avoids storing 4,800 unnecessary sensitive answers (300 × 16) for families who will never enroll.

FAQ

Does a private school need a designated person in charge of personal information?

Yes, Law 25 provides for one, by default the person with the highest authority, who can delegate in writing. Their title and contact details go in the privacy policy, a page that takes about 1 to 2 days of work.

Can we publish student photos on the site?

Only with clear, traceable parental consent. We add a tracking field per photo so an image can be removed within 24 hours if a parent changes their mind.

Is WCAG AA mandatory for a private school?

Quebec standards mainly target public bodies, but AA remains the benchmark. Building it in costs 3 to 5 days, against often twice that for late fixes.

Do we need a French site if the school is English-language?

The Charter of the French Language requires French to be available. The $8,900 Premium tier (the multilingual tier, languages set in the quote) fits that need.

How long does a compliant site take?

Plan on 3 to 4 weeks of build, plus 1 to 2 weeks for your counsel to review the privacy policy.

For a requirements list tailored to your school, request a free quote.

Let's scope your project. Tell us about your school, your forms and your languages, and we will price a compliant site from $4,900, delivered in 3 to 4 weeks. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.