Must my New Brunswick business operate in both English and French?

The province's Official Languages Act gives people the right to provincial government services in either language; it does not require private businesses or residents to be bilingual. Many businesses still choose to serve customers in both.

Where do I register a business in New Brunswick?

With the Corporate Registry, run through Service New Brunswick. Your federal business number with the CRA is a separate step on letter B.

Do I need WorkSafeNB coverage?

It depends on your industry and number of workers. Check WorkSafeNB's pages before hiring, and file the dated answer under letter H.

A to Z Business Checklist for New Brunswick

For a New Brunswick business, letter B of the checklist leads to the Corporate Registry at Service New Brunswick, H to WorkSafeNB, and consumer matters to the Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB). For letter P, most private businesses fall under the federal privacy law. New Brunswick also adds a language question that is worth getting right.

The New Brunswick letters, with official links

The provincial bodies, with the pages we loaded on 23 October 2026.

B, registration: the Corporate Registry of New Brunswick handles business names and corporations. ☐ My registration and annual filings are on file.
H, hiring basics: WorkSafeNB is the workplace health, safety and compensation body. ☐ I checked my obligations before my first hire.
O and V, consumer dealings: FCNB regulates financial and consumer services in the province. ☐ I checked whether my sector is regulated.
P, privacy: the federal summary of privacy laws explains which law applies. ☐ My privacy policy names it.

Bilingualism: a government duty, a business choice

New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province, but the duty to offer both languages falls on the provincial government, not on private businesses. The Commissioner of Official Languages' FAQ is clear that residents and private businesses are not required to be bilingual.

That makes language a letter-O decision (your offer) rather than a compliance question. Ask:

☐ Do a meaningful share of my customers prefer French?
☐ Can I actually serve them in French on the phone, not just on the website?
☐ If yes, do my website (W), Google profile (G) and review replies (R) reflect that?

A bilingual promise you cannot keep on the phone does more harm than an honest English-only service. If you can serve in both, say so prominently.

The New Brunswick market

New Brunswick's population is spread across several mid-sized centres rather than one dominant city. Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, the capital, are the largest, with Dieppe and Riverview beside Moncton, Quispamsis near Saint John, and Miramichi and Edmundston serving the north.

For letter S, that spread argues for honest community pages: one for each centre you genuinely serve, with something specific to say about how you work there. For letter R, smaller communities mean reviews are read closely, and replies are noticed.

Seasons and programs

New Brunswick's cold, snowy winters are harsher inland and in the north than along the Bay of Fundy coast. A business serving both should plan for different peaks, and set its Google profile hours and review push accordingly on the annual calendar.

We do not list New Brunswick programs individually. Use the federal starting a business hub as a starting point, and confirm current details with each administrator.

A first-month order for a new New Brunswick business

Settle the language decision alongside the paperwork, not after the website is built.

N and B: choose the name, then register with the Corporate Registry and check your CRA business number needs.
O: decide whether you will serve in English, French or both, before anyone writes a page.
A, D, E: domain, email and Google profile registered to the business.
H: WorkSafeNB checked before the first hire.

How we would approach the growth letters in New Brunswick

Decide the language question first, then build G, R and S around it.

O: settle whether you serve in English, French or both.
G: a profile that reflects that choice, with accurate hours and service area.
R: a steady review routine, with replies in the reviewer's language where you can.
S and W: pages for each centre you serve; complete French pages if you have chosen to serve in French.

Results from our HVAC work, such as GasBoilers.ca with a 5.0★ rating from 76+ Google reviews, show what a patient review routine can build. Start with the A to Z checklist, compare with neighbouring Nova Scotia, and contact us.

The A to Z checklist in New Brunswick