The verdict in three sentences
A Montreal trade chamber website with a 900-member directory, event calendar and online dues payment costs CAD 40,000 to 80,000 before tax in 2026, excluding operations. The hosting and support retainer typically runs CAD 1,800 to 3,500 a month and must be part of the tender, or bids cannot be compared. A realistic 12-week timeline requires a specification that settles bilingual FR/EN content, accessibility level, Law 25 compliance and member data migration from day one.
What the specification must price, module by module
Most chamber tenders fail on one simple point: they describe pages instead of uses. The executive director should list what members actually do on the site (renew dues, register for a trade mission, update their listing) and let vendors propose the technology.
| Module | Expected scope | 2026 range (CAD, before tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial core and design | 25 to 40 templates, CMS, approval workflow | 10,000 to 18,000 |
| Bilingual FR/EN | Quebec French first, translation management | 3,500 to 7,000 |
| Member directory | 900 listings, search by sector and region, self-service updates | 7,000 to 14,000 |
| Events and registration | Events, B2B missions, ticketing, e-mail reminders | 5,500 to 11,000 |
| Dues payment | Card payment (Stripe or Moneris), PDF receipts, reminders | 6,000 to 12,000 |
| Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) | Audit, fixes, accessibility statement | 3,500 to 7,000 |
| Data migration and training | Excel or CRM import, 2 training sessions | 2,500 to 5,000 |
| Law 25 compliance | Privacy impact assessment, consent, privacy officer page | 2,000 to 6,000 |
| Total project | 40,000 to 80,000 |
Dues payment is the most underestimated module. It needs a payment gateway, automatic receipts, fee schedules per membership category and an accounting export. On a 900-member base, it is the module that pays for the project. Under Law 25, the chamber must also publish its privacy policy, name a person in charge of personal information and run a privacy impact assessment before transferring member data to a cloud host outside Quebec.
Operations, scoring criteria and schedule
A chamber website lives for ten years. The operations lot must be scored as seriously as the build, with measurable service levels.
| Support retainer item | Low tier | High tier |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and backups (Canadian region) | CAD 500/month | CAD 1,000/month |
| Corrective maintenance and updates | CAD 800/month | CAD 1,500/month |
| Enhancements (days included) | 1 day/month | 2.5 days/month |
| Time to fix a blocking bug | 8 business hours | 4 business hours |
| Guaranteed uptime | 99.5% | 99.9% |
| Monthly total | CAD 1,800 | CAD 3,500 |
A balanced 2026 scoring grid looks like this: technical merit 45%, build price 25%, 3-year support price 15%, institutional references 10%, accessibility and security 5%. Including the 3-year support cost avoids picking a low build bid that recovers its margin through maintenance.
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and workshops | 2 weeks | Sitemap, wireframes |
| Design and approval | 2 weeks | FR and EN mockups approved |
| Development | 5 weeks | Directory, events, payment in staging |
| Content and translation | 2 weeks (in parallel) | Translated pages, imported listings |
| QA, accessibility, launch | 3 weeks | Audit, fixes, go-live |
Mini case study
Marc, executive director of a Montreal trade chamber, manages 900 members paying average dues of CAD 650. Today 18% of dues come in more than three months late and two staff members spend 40% of their time chasing payments. He picks a CAD 62,000 bid and a CAD 2,600 monthly retainer. With online payment and automated reminders, he targets a late-payment rate of 8%, meaning 10% of CAD 585,000 in annual dues (CAD 58,500) collected on time, plus roughly 0.8 of a position freed up. The 3-year cost (62,000 + 93,600 = CAD 155,600) is covered by recovered cash flow and staff time moved back to member services.
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FAQ
Is bilingual content mandatory for a Montreal chamber?
Under Quebec's Charter of the French language, French must be at least as prominent as English on a public-facing site. Budget CAD 3,500 to 7,000 for proper bilingual templates and translation workflow.
What does Law 25 change for a member directory?
Publishing member contact details requires clear consent and a documented purpose. Expect CAD 2,000 to 6,000 for the privacy impact assessment, consent flows and policy pages, plus Canadian hosting where possible.
Which accessibility level should the tender require?
Target WCAG 2.1 AA with an accessibility statement. Allow CAD 3,500 to 7,000 for audit and fixes, and require a scored report at the end of QA.
Is a 12-week timeline realistic?
Yes, if content and the member database are ready by week 5. In practice, half of all delays come from translation and internal approvals, not from development.
Should build and support be split into two lots?
One vendor for both is simpler, but score the 3-year support price. A separate lot only makes sense if the chamber already has a hosting contract in place.
Let's scope your project. Send us your specification or module list and we will return a per-lot estimate, an indicative CAD budget and a 12-week plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
