Translation Terms & Conditions

Standards, Project Policies, and Fees

The following standards apply to all translation projects unless otherwise agreed upon in writing or by contract.

Translator Qualifications

All our translators/proofreaders/reviewers meet the following minimum requirements:

• Minimum 5 years full time translation experience
• And/or Certification in a qualifying association, such as Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC)
• And/or an undergraduate or higher degree in translation
• And/or an undergraduate or higher degree in another field with 2 years full time translation experience

Translation Project Process

All projects are overseen from beginning to end by our Translation Project Manager(s) to ensure complete support, transparent communication, and the highest quality translation.

All certified translations are completed by a certified translator based on the regional requirements identified. For example, for certified translations of legal documents to be used in Canadian courts, a Canadian certified translator will be selected. The exception to this standard is when certification is not available for a specific language pair, in these circumstances a qualified translator is chosen. Once the translation is complete the translator will meet with a lawyer to have it notarized. 

With the exception of certified translations, all translations are reviewed by a separate proofreader of equal or higher qualifications than the translator to ensure the best quality translation. The exception to this is with languages where there is not adequate language support for both a translator and a proofreader, for example with the majority of Indigenous languages where only one translator exists.

CERTIFIED TRANSLATION PROJECT POLICY & FEES

The following policies apply to all certified translation projects unless otherwise agreed upon in writing or by contract.

Project Commencement

Project commencement is based on the payment of the invoice. No work will be started before the invoice is paid.

Cancellation Policy

If cancellation is received 12 hours after payment of the invoice an administration fee of $15.00 + GST will apply in addition to all work completed up to the point of cancellation and must be paid for by the client.

Rush fees are applied for last-minute requests

Within 2 business days: $39.00 plus GST or 25% increase to the rate, whichever is greater.

PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION PROJECT POLICY & FEES

The following policies apply to all professional translation projects unless otherwise agreed upon in writing or by contract.

Project Commencement

Project commencement is based on the payment of the deposit, if a deposit is requested.

Cancellation Policy

Should the Client cancel the service contracted, the Client will be obligated hereunder to pay LiM for all work completed prior to LiM having reasonably received notification of cancellation. In the case of rush projects, if the project is cancelled after the work has been assigned to translators, and before actual translation work has begun, the rush fee will be billed to the client.

Rush fees are applied for last-minute requests

A rush fee is a 25% increase to the rate. This fee is applied dependent upon the volume and deadline of the request.

Languages in Motion Ltd. (“LiM”) provides organizations and individuals who request translation and other language services (the “Client”) free estimates within 1 business day of receiving the Client’s request. The estimate includes specific details for each individual request and the provision of services quoted is subject to the following Terms and Conditions. By approving the estimate provided by LiM staff, the Client agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

ESTIMATE

The estimate provided by LiM will include at minimum the following:

• Deliverables (deadline, delivery, format of file(s), etc.)
• A description of the source text(s) required for translation
• Pricing and payment terms
• Any deviations from our standard process (For example, waived proofreading upon client request)
• Along with any special translation requirements (For example, translator must be a native speaker of target language)

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

The Client retains the professional services of LiM to provide the services described in the Estimate received from LiM. These services include, but are not limited to, translation, revision, editing, proofreading, desktop publishing, layout formatting, transcription, voiceover, subtitling, dubbing, localization, and other language services.

TRANSLATION QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TRANSLATOR QUALIFICATIONS

LiM follows a rigid quality assurance process to ensure the best quality translations, including proofreading, review, and feedback processes. All LiM translators, proofreaders, and revisers meet the following minimum requirements:

• Minimum 5 years full time translation experience
• And/or Certification in a qualifying association, such as Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC)
• And/or an undergraduate or higher degree in translation
• And/or an undergraduate or higher degree in another field with 2 years full time translation experience

Specific details regarding the quality assurance process for each individual project as well as translator qualifications will be provided upon request.

DELIVERABLES

LiM will provide the client with deliverables outlined in the estimate. The client is responsible for providing LiM with all necessary information and documents in order to provide the services as outlined in the estimate. This includes but is not limited to the following: languages and regional variants requested, source files in final format, target audience, style guides, reference material, instructions for translation of names, type of certification needed.

DELIVERY

Documents will be delivered electronically by LiM to the email address specified by the client and in accordance with the instructions provided, unless otherwise agreed with the Client. Delivery of hard copies by regular mail, if needed, is included in the cost of translation. Delivery charges for overnight mail and/or messenger services such as FedEx express  will be billed in addition to the rates and/or prices set forth in the estimate provided to the client. The Client will pay any federal or provincial tax applicable to the provision of translation and other language services.

TURNAROUND TIME

LiM will discuss the turnaround time with the Client before the beginning of the project. This turnaround time is flexible, however, and can be accelerated if reasonably possible in accordance with the Client’s specific needs.

RUSH PROJECTS

In all circumstances, including when undertaking rush projects, LiM will act in a prudent and diligent manner and will use reasonable efforts, according to circumstances and deadlines established by the Client, to offer quality service. Please note that rush charges may apply when accelerating turnaround times. Rush charges, if applicable, will be included in the estimate provided to the client.

DEPOSIT

Payment can be made to LiM via cheque, credit card, or wire transfer. By accepting these Terms and Conditions the Client acknowledges the sole responsibility to make full payment of all charges and expenses relating to the project within thirty (30) days after its completion, unless otherwise agreed upon with LiM in writing. Advance payment may be required at the time the estimate is approved. LiM Project Manager will inform the Client if upfront payment is required. Collection of any related payments from any third party is a private matter of the Client and shall not affect the Client’s responsibility for payment to LiM.

CONDITIONS

Since translation is a subjective process through which different individuals may express the same meaning using different word choices, LiM will not be liable for such variations. Additionally, there may be “personal preferences” in word selection that may be stylistic or based on a person’s familiarity with company or industry specific terminology. LiM will attempt to utilize reference materials and glossaries to a commercially reasonable extent, but there remains the likelihood that the Client may prefer word insertions or replacements. As such, there may be additional costs associated with the incorporation of differing terms or language into the final translated document.

CLIENT CHANGES TO PROJECT PARAMETERS
Should the Client change the parameters of the project while it is in progress (such as turnaround time accelerated, source files not provided on time, project’s scope/size expanded, additional administrative tasks, etc.), LiM reserves the right to apply additional charges and/or extend the deadline in accordance with the change requested. Furthermore, should the Client request additional services to be performed such as subjective revisions to language and/or layout, revisions to source files which might affect the target language versions, etc., then charges for such services will be due in addition to the above.

CERTIFICATION
For documents that require certification, it is the client’s responsibility to give LiM specific instructions regarding the type of certification required. LiM will not be responsible for acceptance of translated work by any organization without specific prior instructions.

COMPLAINTS
The Client must notify LiM of any concerns with LiM’s performance within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of deliverables via certified letter/return receipt or via electronic mail to an account representative. If LiM is not so notified, the Client waives all rights and claims arising out of such performance. Any changes requested to the deliverables after such period will incur additional charges.

PROJECT CANCELLATION
Should the Client cancel the service contracted, the Client will be obligated hereunder to pay LiM for all work completed prior to LiM having reasonably received notification of cancellation. In the case of rush projects, if the project is cancelled after the work has been assigned to translators, and before actual translation work has begun, the rush fee will be billed to the client.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

No Consequential or Indirect Damages. (Except liability for breach of confidentiality, or liability for infringement or misappropriation of intellectual property rights,) in no event shall LiM or any of its representatives be liable under this agreement to the Client or any third party for any consequential, indirect, incidental, exemplary, special, or punitive damages whatsoever, including any damages for business interruption, loss of use, data, revenue or profit, cost of capital, loss of business opportunity, loss of goodwill, whether arising out of breach of contract, tort (including negligence), any other theory of liability, or otherwise, regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable and whether or not the customer was advised of the possibility of such damages.

Maximum Liability. In no event shall LiM’s aggregate liability arising out of or related to this agreement, whether arising out of or related to breach of contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, exceed the total amount paid to LiM pursuant to this agreement in a 1-year period preceding the event giving rise to the claim. The foregoing limitations shall apply even if the Client’s remedies under this agreement fail of their essential purpose.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidential information (the “Confidential Information”) refers to any data or information relating to the business of the Client which is not in the public domain or would reasonably be considered to be proprietary or confidential to the Client including, but not limited to, phone conversations, accounting records, business processes, records, assets, advisors, consultants, suppliers, contracts, finances, personnel, ideas, plans, policies, procedures or intentions with respect to its operations, including, without limitation, matters which although technically not trade secrets or that is not generally known in the industry of the Client and where the release of that Confidential Information may prove prejudicial to the Client or could reasonably be expected to cause harm to the Client.

LiM agrees that they will not disclose, divulge, reveal, report or use, for any purpose, any Confidential Information which LiM has obtained, except as authorized by the Client or as required by law. All written and oral information and material disclosed or provided by the Client to LiM under this Agreement is Confidential Information regardless of whether it was provided before or after the date of this Agreement or how it was provided to LiM.

LiM acknowledges that the remedy at law for any breach of the confidentiality undertakings outlined in this Section may be inadequate and that the Client on any application to a Court, shall be entitled to seek temporary and permanent injunctive relief against LiM or any of its personnel, agents or representatives without the necessity of proving actual damages to the Client.

The obligations of confidentiality will apply during the Term of the project and will survive indefinitely upon completion of the project.

CONTENT OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR TRANSLATION
The client agrees to indemnify LiM from any liability resulting from the content of the translated information and further assures LiM that the information submitted for translation does not violate any criminal or other statutes of Canada or of any other jurisdiction.