Ottawa Translation Services
NATIONS is a Canadian company with a global outlook, serving clients across the country and beyond from our headquarters in Ottawa.
We’ve built a reputation as Canada’s premier professional translation service provider, offering language services in over 100 languages, including more than 30 Indigenous dialects.
Many of our clients come from the Ottawa area and are repeat customers, relying on us to provide high-quality, accurate, and fast translations of a range of material and content. We’ve worked with some of Canada’s largest companies as well as public sector organizations at the municipal, provincial, and federal level.
Certified translation services headquartered in Ottawa
NATIONS has had a presence in Ottawa for many years but recently moved to a more central location in the heart of downtown to better serve our customers.
Our new headquarters opened in 2023, with expanded facilities that reflect our company’s growth mindset. Most of our core business is done in the Ottawa headquarters, from which we also manage our subsidiary offices in Toronto.
NATIONS began over 30 years ago with a small team of four dedicated employees in an Ottawa office. We’re proud of our journey from entrepreneurial start-up to language industry leaders but we don’t let it make us complacent. We’ll continue to keep evolving and innovating to offer clients from Ottawa, and elsewhere, the very best language services in the industry.
Language services for the public sector
Our unique location in the centre of Canada’s capital, just steps from Parliament Hill, is no accident. NATIONS is at the heart of the action, serving changemakers, leaders, and innovators from all sectors.
We’re proud to have worked on several high-level government projects, providing precise translations in Canada’s official languages of English and French as well as the country’s diverse Indigenous languages to help the government better connect with our First Nations communities. As Canada’s largest 100% Indigenous-owned private translation group, we’re uniquely placed to help both public sector bodies and private organizations with their First Nations outreach.
Given the public sector’s need for efficiency and timely service, it’s no surprise that our government clients choose NATIONS. Our streamlined workflows and tech-driven processes ensure speed and transparency through every stage of your project.
Our specialized language portal keeps all documentation and communication within a single, secure hub that can be accessed by clients and their project manager so all stakeholders have visibility into the status of their translations.
The highly-experienced NATIONS team understands the unique challenges of the public sector and has specialized knowledge of all levels of federal, provincial and municipal governments. We’re trusted by our government clients not just for the quality of our services but also our professional credentials and high standards of security.
We understand the need for public sector communications to align with specific standards relating to security, accuracy, and accessibility. NATIONS’ linguists go the extra mile to ensure these are met and apply their client-focused approach across every project - from translating documents to providing real-time interpreter services at in-person briefings.
Our translation services for government clients include:
Translation for technical & regulatory documents
Real-time translation & interpreting for government events
Translation into any Indigenous language from most other languages
But we don’t just serve the Ottawa government, we’re also deeply embedded in the corporate community, working with businesses of all sizes to refine their communications and support their strategic goals.
Business translation services
Ottawa is a hub of government, but it’s also a key location for businesses of all industries, from national chains to international corporations.
NATIONS has worked with many of these business leaders, developing long standing relationships with high-profile clients from sectors such as law, financial services, transportation, defence, e-commerce, and others.
These clients come from many different areas of the business world but they have one thing in common - they want language services that satisfy their need for speed, accuracy, and quality.
Our clients rely on us to provide high-quality translations that serve and support their organizational goals. We use the latest emerging technologies to streamline our processes and improve our customer service, providing dedicated support throughout the translation process and delivering on time and on budget.
In the fast-paced world of the boardroom, every second counts. The NATIONS team has some of the fastest turnaround times in the industry. We’re proud of that achievement and attribute it not just to our professional linguistic expertise, but also our attention to detail. We put our clients’ needs first at every stage of the process, assigning each task a dedicated project manager to see it through to completion as efficiently as possible.
We know there’s no room for error or inaccuracy in business. That’s why we blend machine learning tools with human expertise - editing, vetting, and screening every word so it perfectly matches your message and fits the context. From quarterly financial reports to overseas marketing campaigns, and from technical brochures to website content, our translators can handle anything.
Certified translation services
Every industry evolves, and the language services sector is no different. NATIONS’ translators are constantly innovating, using the latest translation techniques and adopting cutting-edge technologies to offer more precise, nuanced, and accurate translations.
But don’t just take our word for it. NATIONS has achieved a number of professional certifications, awarded by independent adjudicators and revised in line with evolving benchmarks. These include the gold standard of language services - CAN/CGSB-131.10, the Canadian National Standard for translation service providers.
We’ve also obtained the following ISO standards:
ISO 27001:2013 – Information Security Management Systems
ISO 17100:2015-05 – Translation Services
ISO 18587:2017 – Translation Services – Post-Editing – AI Machine Translation
These are global benchmarks, awarded by the International Organization for Standardization to indicate that a provider has met the threshold for quality of service.
Our team is ready to talk about your language service needs. Contact us today to schedule a visit to our Ottawa office or book a virtual consultation. We look forward to working with you!