Do all safety signs in Canada have to be bilingual?

No. English and French are required in specific cases, mainly WHMIS supplier labels, product inscriptions and public signs in Quebec, and the mandatory information on many prepackaged consumer products. Other workplace signs follow the rules of the province, territory or federal regulator that covers the workplace.

Do signs in a Quebec workplace have to be in French?

In practice, plan on French. The Charter of the French Language makes French the normal language of work and requires French on public signs, with other languages allowed under conditions; check the OQLF's guidance and the provincial OHS rules (CNESST) for your situation.

Can English be larger than French on a label sold in Quebec?

No. For inscriptions on products, the OQLF says another language must not appear more prominently than French. For public signs and commercial advertising that use another language, French must be markedly predominant.

What are the French signal words for DANGER, WARNING and CAUTION?

It depends on the system. On WHMIS and GHS chemical labels the French signal words are "Danger" and "Attention", where "Attention" corresponds to "Warning". On ANSI-style bilingual safety signs, WARNING is often rendered "AVERTISSEMENT" and CAUTION "ATTENTION", so confirm terms with your translator.

Who is responsible for the French translation?

You are. We print the English and French text you supply and approve on the proof; we do not translate regulatory text or check translations for accuracy, so use a qualified translator who knows your industry's terms.

Can I use separate English and French labels?

Often, yes. WHMIS expressly allows two supplier labels, one in each language. For other products and signs, separate labels work as long as both are equally visible and, in Quebec, the French is not less prominent.

Do symbol-only (wordless) labels avoid the language question?

Partly. A wordless ISO-style symbol needs no translation, but any required text, such as WHMIS hazard statements or product inscriptions in Quebec, still has to appear in the required languages. See our ISO 7010 guide .

Bilingual English/French Safety Labels in Canada

Canada has two official languages, but there is no single rule that every label or sign must be bilingual. The obligation depends on what the item is (a chemical, a consumer product, a workplace sign), where it is used (Quebec or elsewhere) and who is responsible for it (the supplier or the employer). This guide sorts out the common cases and the layouts that work. It is a starting point; the authorities named below have the final word.

Where English and French are required

WHMIS supplier labels (all of Canada)

Under the Hazardous Products Regulations, administered by Health Canada, the information on a supplier label and SDS must be in both English and French. The supplier can use one bilingual label or two labels, one in each language. Workplace labels follow provincial, territorial or federal workplace rules instead. Details are in ourWHMIS label guide.

Products and signs in Quebec

Quebec's Charter of the French Language, enforced by the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), sets the strictest rules:

Products: inscriptions on a product, its container or wrapping, and on documents supplied with it (such as directions for use) must be in French. Other languages may appear too, but not more prominently than the French. Since June 1, 2025, generic or descriptive words within a trademark (for example a product's features) must also appear in French on the product or on a support permanently attached to it.
Public signs and commercial advertising: must be in French. They may be in French and another language if French is markedly predominant. OQLF guidance describes this as French having a much greater visual impact, for example French text that is about twice the size. Since June 1, 2025, the same rule applies to exterior signage that shows a business name or trademark in another language.
The workplace: the Charter also protects the right to work in French and sets rules for employers' written communications with staff. Safety signs and instructions for workers in Quebec are normally provided in French, and the CNESST (Quebec's workplace health and safety board) publishes French-language WHMIS guidance.

The Charter and its regulations include exceptions and transition rules. If your labels or signs will be used or sold in Quebec, read the OQLF guidance for your case or ask the OQLF directly.

Prepackaged consumer products (federal)

The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations, administered by the Competition Bureau for non-food products, require the mandatory label information on prepackaged consumer products, such as the product identity and net quantity, to be in English and French, with some exemptions. The dealer's name and address may be in either language. Other consumer product rules, such as Health Canada's rules for consumer chemical products, have their own bilingual hazard labelling requirements. Industrial labels and signs sold only to businesses are usually outside these consumer rules, but a product sold to the public may not be.

Everything else

Outside those cases, the language of workplace signs, equipment labels and tags is set by the occupational health and safety rules where the work happens, and by the need for workers to understand them. Federal institutions also have obligations under the Official Languages Act. Many employers choose bilingual signs anyway, because their workforce, customers or visitors read both languages.

Layout options

Layout	How it works	Good for	Watch for
Side by side	English and French message panels next to each other, sharing one symbol	Wide labels and signs; equal weight for both languages	Needs width; the French column is usually the longer one
Stacked	One language above the other, often with a combined signal word panel (for example WARNING / AVERTISSEMENT)	Tall labels, signs and tags	The top language reads as primary; in Quebec put French first or make it at least as prominent
Separate labels	Two matching labels, one per language, applied together	WHMIS supplier labels; retrofitting existing products	Both must be applied, visible and kept together; two part numbers to manage
Symbol plus bilingual text	An ISO-style symbol carries the core message, with short text in both languages	Small labels; products sold in several countries	Required text still needs both languages; symbols must be understood

Practical layout tips:

Allow extra space for French, which often runs 15 to 30 percent longer than the same English text, and size the label from the final translation.
Keep letter heights equal between languages unless a rule asks for one to be more prominent.
Use one symbol for both languages rather than two copies; it saves space and avoids mismatches.
Keep the same order of languages across your product line or facility so people know where to look.

Translation accuracy

A safety message is only as good as its translation. A loose rendering can change the hazard level or the instruction. Use a qualified translator who knows your industry, keep terms consistent with your SDSs and manuals, and have someone fluent check the proof. Watch signal words in particular: on WHMIS and GHS labels, the French for "Warning" is "Attention", while bilingual ANSI-style signs commonly use "AVERTISSEMENT" for WARNING and "ATTENTION" for CAUTION. The same French word can therefore sit at different levels in the two systems.

Wholesale Customize Labels prints the English and French text you provide exactly as approved on the proof. We do not translate regulatory text, check translations, or decide which language rules apply to you.

Ordering bilingual labels and signs

Send both language versions, the layout you prefer and where the items will be used through thequote form, or start in the label builder, choose English and French, and type your translation into the second-language lines. See custom bilingual labels,custom bilingual signs andwordless symbol labels.