Terms and Conditions of Sale and Use

1.Merchant identification

The website certilingua.ca (the "Site") is operated by ELLIPSE MONDE INC., a corporation incorporated under the laws of Quebec, doing business as Certilingua ("Certilingua", "we", "us").

Head office: 1084 rue de l’Église Montréal, Quebec, H4G 2N5
Quebec Enterprise Number (NEQ): 1181925877
Email: info@certilingua.ca
Phone: 514 446-9946

Certilingua is an exclusively online platform. The head office address is not a service location: no clients are received there, no translation can be picked up on site, and no in-person appointments are available. All communications take place by email or phone, and all deliveries are made electronically or by mail.

2.Purpose and acceptance of these Terms

These terms and conditions (the "Terms") govern every order for translation services placed on the Site, as well as every quote request. By placing an order or requesting a quote, you (the "Client") confirm that you have read, understood, and accepted these Terms together with our Privacy Policy, which forms an integral part of the agreement.

You confirm that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a contract.

3.Description of services and choice of translation type

Certilingua provides document translation services, including:

1. certified translation accompanied by a Certificate of Accuracy issued by our agency;
2. translation performed by a certified translator who is a member of a recognized Canadian provincial association (OTTIAQ, ATIO, ATIA, STIBC, ATIM, ATIS, CTINB, ATINS);
3. notarization of the translator's affidavit, available as an add-on.

This obligation is repeated throughout the order and quote process. Requirements vary between organizations (IRCC, professional regulatory bodies, educational institutions, courts, employers, foreign authorities) and may change without notice. Certilingua provides no legal advice, no immigration advice, and no recommendation regarding the requirements applicable to the Client's file.

If the Client ordered a translation with our agency's Certificate of Accuracy and it later turns out that a translation by a certified translator from a Canadian association was required, the original service remains fully payable, having been performed in accordance with the order. The translation by a certified translator then constitutes a new order, billed separately. No credit or refund is granted on the first service.

4.Orders, quotes, and formation of the contract

4.1 Online ordering. The Client may order directly online or request a quote. During the ordering process, the price is displayed as the Client enters the order details. Applicable taxes (GST, HST, or GST and QST depending on the Client's province of residence) are calculated and displayed at the final step, before payment. The total price, taxes included, is shown to the Client before any payment is confirmed.

4.2 Formation of the contract. The contract is formed when Certilingua sends the Client an order confirmation email. This email restates the essential elements of the order: description of the service, language pair, total price, estimated turnaround, and Certilingua's contact information. Certilingua reserves the right to refuse any order, in particular where a document is illegible or incomplete, where its content is unlawful, or where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the document is forged or that the service would be used for fraudulent purposes. If an order is refused, any amount received is refunded in full.

4.3 Quotes. Every quote is valid for the period stated on it. A quote not accepted within that period lapses. Documents submitted for a quote that does not result in an order are handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

4.4 Processing cut-off time. Any order placed after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time is deemed received on the next business day. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding statutory holidays observed in Quebec and Canada. This rule also applies to the 24-hour express service, whose turnaround runs from the business day on which the order is actually taken in charge.

5.Prices and payment

5.1 Currency and taxes. All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Applicable sales taxes are determined based on the Client's address and added to the price before payment.

5.2 Payment. Payment is made online at the time of ordering, through the payment provider Stripe. Certilingua does not collect or store any credit card data. Work begins only after full payment is received.

5.3 Inaccurate or incomplete information. The order price is based on the information provided by the Client: word or page count, language pair, document type, and selected options. If any information turns out to be missing or inaccurate (including a word count higher than declared, a different source or target language, or an additional document), Certilingua informs the Client of the price difference before starting or continuing the work. This balance is billed through a secure payment link issued by Stripe. The turnaround time is suspended until the additional payment is received. If the balance is not paid within [7] days, Certilingua may cancel the order and refund the Client, less the value of any work already completed.

5.4 Add-ons. Current surcharges are listed on the Site's Pricing page, including the express service (50% surcharge) and notarization (30% surcharge). Apostille and mail delivery are available on request and priced before the order or by quote.

5.5 Payment disputes. In the event of a disagreement about a charge or a service, the Client is invited to contact our customer service first at info@certilingua.ca so the matter can be resolved quickly, as most situations are settled within a few days. This section does not limit any chargeback right the law grants the Client, including the right set out in section 54.14 of the Quebec Consumer Protection Act.

6.Turnaround times

6.1 Estimates only. Turnaround times shown on the Site and in the confirmation email are estimates. Certilingua makes every reasonable effort to meet them, but they do not constitute a firm commitment unless expressly stated otherwise in writing.

6.2 Starting point. The turnaround time begins once all three of the following conditions are met: full payment is received, complete and legible documents are received, and any information requested by Certilingua is received (including the official spelling of proper names). Any request for clarification sent to the Client suspends the turnaround time until a response is received.

6.3 Difficult documents. Handwritten, partially illegible, damaged, or poor-quality documents may result in a longer turnaround or additional fees, communicated to the Client before the work is performed.

6.4 Delay. In accordance with the Quebec Consumer Protection Act, if the service is not performed within 30 days of the agreed date, the Client may cancel the contract. Nothing in this section limits any right the law grants the Client.

7.Cancellation and refunds

7.1 Cancellation by the Client before work begins. The Client may cancel an order at no charge as long as translation work has not begun. The refund is then issued in full, to the original payment method, within a maximum of 15 days.

7.2 Cancellation after work begins. If work has begun, the Client may still cancel the order; however, the Client remains liable for the value of the work already completed, calculated on a pro rata basis. The balance is refunded within a maximum of 15 days.

7.3 Express service. For the 24-hour express service, work begins immediately after the order confirmation. The window for cancelling at no charge is therefore practically non-existent, which the Client expressly acknowledges by selecting this option.

7.4 After delivery. No refund is granted after the translation has been delivered, subject to section 8 (Claims and corrections) and to any rights the law grants the Client.

7.5 Procedure. Every cancellation request must be sent by email to info@certilingua.ca. The date and time the email is received are determinative.

7.6 Statutory rights. This policy is in addition to the rights the law grants you and in no way limits the cancellation, resolution, or refund rights provided by the Quebec Consumer Protection Act or any other applicable law.

8.Claims and corrections

8.1 Claim period. Any alleged translation error must be reported by email to info@certilingua.ca within 30 days of delivery, identifying the passages concerned.

8.2 Correction. Certilingua corrects, at no charge, any confirmed translation error (mistranslation, omission, or error in transcribing a name, date, or number) and delivers the corrected version as quickly as possible. Correcting a confirmed error is the first remedy offered to the Client.

8.3 Style preferences. Requests for rewording based on style or terminology preferences, with no error of meaning, do not constitute translation errors and may be billed.

8.4 Faithfulness to the source document. The translation faithfully reflects the source document, including any errors, strikethroughs, or notations it may contain. The translator cannot correct, omit, or alter the content of the source document, even at the Client's request. Any such request is refused.

9.Client obligations

The Client agrees to:

1. provide complete, legible documents that match the originals;
2. provide the exact spelling of proper names as they appear on the passport or official identity documents whenever the alphabet of the source document differs from that of the target language; failing this, transliteration is performed according to standard conventions, and any reissue requested afterward constitutes a billable service;
3. verify the type of translation and certification required by the receiving organization before ordering;
4. provide accurate contact information and check their email inbox regularly, including the junk mail folder;
5. use the services for lawful purposes only and submit no document that was obtained illegally or forged.

10.Delivery

10.1 Electronic delivery. Unless a different option is selected, the translation is delivered by email in PDF format. Delivery is deemed complete when the email is sent to the address provided by the Client.

10.2 Mail delivery. When the Client selects the mail delivery option, handover to the carrier (Canada Post or another carrier) constitutes shipment. Transit times are the carrier's responsibility and are beyond Certilingua's control. In the event of a confirmed lost shipment, Certilingua reprints and reships the documents at no charge, limited to one reshipment, provided the files are still available in accordance with section 12.

11.No guarantee of acceptance and limitation of liability

11.1 Scope of our obligation. Certilingua's obligation is to deliver a faithful, professional translation of the source document, accompanied by the type of certification ordered. Certilingua does not guarantee that the translation will be accepted by IRCC, a professional regulatory body, an educational institution, a court, a foreign authority, or any other organization, as the requirements of these organizations fall within their sole discretion and may change without notice.

11.2 Limitation. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Certilingua's total liability in connection with an order is limited to the amount the Client paid for that order, and Certilingua is not liable for indirect or consequential damages, including the refusal of an immigration or admission application, a missed deadline, application fees, or loss of income or business opportunities.

11.3 Force majeure. Certilingua is not liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from an event of force majeure, including a widespread outage of networks or payment services, an interruption of postal services, a natural disaster, or any other circumstance beyond its reasonable control.

11.4 Saving provision. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot be excluded or limited by law, including liability for intentional or gross fault, liability for bodily or moral injury, or the legal warranties provided by the Quebec Consumer Protection Act. If you are a consumer, the limitations in this section apply only to the extent permitted by the laws that protect you.

12.Ownership of the translation and file retention

12.1 Ownership. Upon full payment, the Client becomes the owner of the rights in the delivered translation, for its intended use. Certilingua retains the right to refer to the general nature of the services performed, without disclosing any personal information or any document content.

12.2 Retention and destruction. Source documents and translations are retained and then destroyed in accordance with our Privacy Policy, namely 30 days after delivery (or 30 days after a quote that did not result in an order). After this period, Certilingua no longer holds any copy. Any later request for a reissue, a new certified copy, or a modification constitutes a new billable service and may require the Client to submit their documents again.

13.Personal information

The collection, use, disclosure, and retention of the Client's personal information, including submitted documents, are governed by our Privacy Policy, available on the Site and compliant with Quebec's Law 25 and applicable federal legislation. By using the Site, the Client acknowledges having read this policy.

14.Customer service

For any question about an order, a quote, or these Terms, our customer service team can be reached by email at info@certilingua.ca. We commit to responding within [2] business days. Certilingua reserves the right to end any communication, and where applicable the business relationship, in the event of abusive, threatening, or discriminatory remarks toward its staff, subject to completing orders already paid for or refunding them.

15.Governing law and recourse

These Terms are governed by the laws in force in the Province of Quebec and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.

If you reside in another Canadian province or territory, you retain the benefit of the mandatory consumer protection provisions in force where you live. Nothing in these Terms limits your right to bring a claim before the competent court of your judicial district.

Before initiating any proceeding, the Client is invited to contact our customer service at info@certilingua.ca to seek an amicable resolution.

16.General provisions

16.1 Amendments. Certilingua may amend these Terms at any time. The version applicable to an order is the version in force when the contract is formed. The date of the most recent update appears at the top of this document.

16.2 Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions remain in full force, and the affected provision is applied to the maximum extent permitted by law.

16.3 Entire agreement. These Terms, the order confirmation email, and the Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between the Client and Certilingua with respect to the services ordered.

16.4 No waiver. Certilingua's failure to exercise any right under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right.

16.5 Language. These Terms are published in French and in English. In accordance with the Charter of the French Language, the French version is made available to the Client first; the Client may expressly choose to rely on the English version. In the event of any discrepancy, the French version prevails with respect to consumers residing in Quebec.