Web app development for Canadian businesses

What Canadian teams usually build

Most requests start with a painful spreadsheet. A construction firm tracks site visits in a shared workbook, a clinic network handles referrals by email, a distributor re-keys orders from PDFs. A web app turns that process into a tool with logins, roles, history and reports, so the work stops depending on one person's file.

We begin by mapping the process on one page: who does what, in which order, with which data. Then we decide what the first version must do and what can wait. A small, well-built first release that staff actually use beats a large one that arrives late. The web app cost guide shows how scope drives the price.

Common app types and Canadian details

Tax rules are set up with your accountant's input. We build the logic and the tests, and your accountant confirms that the rates and rules match how you file.

Technology and hosting

We usually build with Next.js and React on the front end and Node on the back end, with PostgreSQL for data. This stack is widely known, so any competent developer can pick it up later. We avoid exotic tools that lock you to us. Authentication uses proven providers or standard libraries, never homemade password code.

Hosting can sit in a Canadian region, such as Montreal or Toronto on the major clouds, when your customers or contracts prefer it. Backups are automatic and tested by restoring them. Environments are separate for development, staging and production, and you own every account.

When you need a custom build versus an existing product, we say so plainly. A standard tool that costs a few dollars per user per month is often better than a custom one. The custom website vs template comparison uses the same thinking.

Privacy and security by design

• Collect only the personal information the app needs, and write down why, which supports PIPEDA's accountability principle.
• Limit who sees what with roles, and log access to sensitive records.
• For Quebec users, plan the Law 25 steps: clear notice, consent for optional tracking, a route to access or correct data, and an assessment before personal information leaves Quebec.
• Encrypt data in transit and at rest, and keep secrets out of the code.
• Set retention rules so old records are deleted on schedule, not kept forever by accident.

Planning notes, not legal advice. Your lawyer confirms what applies to your business.

Bilingual interfaces and accessibility

If you serve Quebec or federal clients, the app may need French from day one. We store every label, message and email template in language files and keep dates, numbers and currency formats correct for each locale: for example, 1 234,56 $ in French and $1,234.56 in English. Names, addresses and postal codes accept accents and Canadian formats.

We build to WCAG 2.2 AA with keyboard navigation, visible focus, clear labels and enough contrast. For Ontario organizations covered by AODA this keeps you aligned with the accessibility direction of the regulation. The WCAG 2.2 checklist lists the tests we run.

How the project runs

1. DiscoveryA workshop call, a process map and a fixed quote within one working day.
2. Clickable prototypeScreens in Figma that your staff can try before any code is written.
3. Build in weekly releasesEvery Friday a working version goes to a staging address, with a short demo video.
4. Pilot and launchA small group uses it for real work, we fix what they find, then everyone moves over.

Meetings fall in your morning: 9:00 in Toronto is 19:30 in India in winter, and 9:00 in Calgary is 21:30. Our New York office shares Eastern time for Ontario and Quebec teams.

Pricing

Projects start at $1,500 and our rate is $30 an hour, in US dollars. The number of user roles, integrations and reports moves the price. Hosting and third-party services are billed to you at cost. Read the web app development service page for scope, and our Canada web overview for the wider picture.