Snapshot of Canada's Language Industry

Communication forms and powers the increasingly integrated global economy.

Experienced
Technologically Advanced
Respected

Language capability is required to reach across continents and conduct business internationally. The language industry has experienced consistent growth, with annual rates ranging from eight per cent for traditional translation to twenty-five per cent for the technology segment of the industry.

Canada, as a trading nation, has the clear advantage of pioneering new technologies for its official bilingualism and its multiculturalism. As a result, Canada is a major player in the world's booming language industry.

Canada is home to under one per cent of the world's population yet it ranks among the world leaders in translation and language training sectors. Canada's translation sector accounts for a remarkable six per cent of the world market, with annual revenues of over C$400 million while Canadian language training specialists serve approximately twelve per cent of world demand and generate approximately C$450 million in revenues.

Expertise

Canada provides tailored products and services in all components of today's language industry.

Translation

• Human translation and adaptation
• Localization and globalization of software and websites
• Interpretation
• Dubbing
• Terminology

Technology

• Machine translation and translation-assistance tools
• Multilingual text processing and content management
• Speech processing including voice recognition, speech biometrics and text-to-speech
• Text information management including Customer Relationship Management, knowledge management and content management
• Training tools
• Hearing and speech-assistance systems

Training

• Language training, both in the classroom and online
• Language technologies training

Why have so many chosen Canada?

International clients have chosen Canadian products and services for very pragmatic reasons: 

• Canada's innovative information and communication technologies are serving the world. Technological skill has been combined with diverse linguistic skills available in Canada.
  
  
• Canadian firms are experienced in working effectively with international clients.
  
  
• Canada is highly respected for its educational infrastructure and research and development in language technology including computer science, Internet, machine translation, and management of textual information.
  
  
• Canada is officially bilingual - English and French - and nurtures multiculturalism.
  
  
• Canada is experienced in distance training and international delivery of products and services.
  
  
• Computer assisted translation expertise produces quality and quick turnaround for translations.
  
  
• Over 140,000 international students study full-time and thousands more pursue short-term studies, attracted by Canada's great geographic diversity, its secure multicultural environment and high quality education at competitive prices.
  
  

Canadian Strengths

The Canadian language industry comprises more than 2,000 diverse businesses and approximately 30,000 specialists.

The industry's singular expertise comes from years of providing support to an economy based on knowledge and exports, and professional services to a bilingual public sector. According to the United Nations, Canada is sixth in the world in providing public services online.

With its solid historical foundation of language translation, advanced technologies and training, strong multicultural communities, and easy access to the USA and other key markets, Canadian business is ideally placed to provide high quality services to North, Central and South American, European and Far Eastern clients.

Today, more than ever, conducting business internationally requires communicating and negotiating in many languages.

Canada's language industry is recognized not only for its quality in translating text, but also for the superiority of its interpretation and training services, and its inventive technology. Canadian business is gradually deploying sophisticated computer-assisted translation technologies for quality, speed and cost reduction.

Translation training is offered by twelve university-level institutions. Together with industry, they are developing a comprehensive strategy to ensure an increasing supply of qualified language professionals for tomorrow's global economy.

Some Canadian Profiles

The following profiles of representative companies reflect the breadth of quality products and services available in Canada.

BabelFish Corporation (www.babelfish.com) offers one of the most comprehensive language services in Canada, providing expert translation, localization, language-training and other multilingual services with the benefit of on-line convenience.

Etraffic Solutions (www.etrafficsolutions.com), Canada's premiere developer of learning technology and custom content, develops innovative programs to meet organizational learning needs. LLEARN (a robust online language learning system that facilitates spoken and written language interaction) and ESL Connection (a unique and innovative program that facilitates teaching English as a second language) demonstrate why Etraffic Solutions is an international award winning company.

The International Language Institute (ILI) (www.ili.ca) is a private language school based in Nova Scotia that delivers English as a second language instruction, an official French-language training centre for the Canadian government, and the first certified Cambridge teacher-training centre in North America.

Lexi-Tech International (www.lexitech.ca) is Canada's largest translation service, offering thirty language combinations with seventeen years of expertise in translating in various domains includ

ing technical, administrative (government), automotive, pharmaceutical and financial documents.

MultiCorpora R&D; Inc. (www.multicorpora.ca) provides leading-edge full-text corpus and terminology management technologies to help language industry professionals and global organizations, including several United Nations organizations, international governments and corporations, to streamline the development of monolingual and multilingual content.

Terminotix (www.terminotix.com) developed LogiTerm, a powerful software solution for terminology, full-text and bitext management used by corporate and government organizations and language professionals in over thirty-five countries.

In Canada, most translation revenues are derived from English and French combinations. Services in other languages, especially Asian, represent twenty per cent of the industry and are growing rapidly.

Would you like more information on Canada?

Canadian contacts able to provide services and products can be identified by consulting web sites presented on this page. Additionally, detailed information on the Canadian language industry is regularly updated by these organizations.

• ACCTI - The Association of Canadian Corporations in Translation and Interpretation (www.accti.ca) promotes quality standards for translation and interpretation services.
  
  
• ACGL - The Association of Linguistics Services Managers (www.acgl.org) groups professionals managing linguistic services, francization programs, communications, and language training.
  
  
• AILIA - The Language Industry Association (www.ailia.ca) represents Canadian firms involved in language training, translation and language technologies and serves as the single point of contact in Canada and abroad.
  
  
• CAPLS - The Canadian Association of Private Language Schools (www.capls.ca) sets standards adopted by more than seventy of its constituent French and English language schools. CAPLS has a searchable list of schools for international students.
  
  
• CAST - The Canadian Association of Schools of Translation (www.uottawa.ca/associations/acet) consists of twelve institutions who offer translation programs for translators, terminologists and interpreters. Links are provided to members' programs.
  
  
• CECN - The Canadian Education Centre Network (www.cecnetwork.ca) is a private non-profit company which promotes Canada as a study destination for international students via its twenty offices in seventeen countries.
  
  
• CLC - The Canada Language Council (www.c-l-c.ca) sets standards and officially approves programs for French or English training. Links are provided to members' programs.
  
  
• CTTIC - The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (www.cttic.org) sets and promotes certification standards for professional translators, terminologists, and interpreters. Links are provided for each provincial association.
  
  
• Industry Canada (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/li) presents an overview of the Canadian language industry and includes information on trends, training and technologies.

Prepared by: 
Association de l'industrie de la langue / Language Industry Association (AILIA)
International Trade Canada - Trade Commissioner Service
Industry Canada

Contact Us:
The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service
Web site: www.infoexport.gc.ca