The short version
- Sell in French. Your event page and checkout should work in French for Quebec buyers.
- Charge GST and QST (14.975% combined) if you're registered.
- Bloom supports French event pages, checkout and ticket emails at $0.75 per ticket, with free LampPost listings in Montreal.
Montreal ticketing platforms compared
Platform fee on a $40 ticket from each platform's published Canadian pricing (October 2026). Card processing is extra.
| Platform | Fee on a $40 ticket | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bloom Tickets | $0.75 | Independent and recurring events, bilingual audiences |
| Showpass Essential | $0.99 | Simple events on a Canadian platform |
| Ticket Tailor | $1.00 | High-volume sellers who prepay for credits |
| Eventbrite | $2.69 | Events that rely on marketplace discovery |
Eventbrite also charges 2.9% processing on the whole order. See Eventbrite alternatives in Canada.
Selling in French
Quebec's Charter of the French Language means commercial communications aimed at Quebec consumers, including event pages, ads and tickets, generally need to be in French. English can appear alongside it. Beyond the law, a French checkout simply converts better with francophone buyers.
On Bloom, you set the language per event. Choose French and your event page, the checkout and the ticket confirmation emails all appear in French, so a bilingual promoter can run French nights and English nights from the same account.
Note: Language rules have specific requirements for signage, packaging and contracts. For anything beyond a standard event page, check the Office québécois de la langue française.
GST and QST
- Rates: 5% GST plus 9.975% QST, 14.975% combined, on admissions if you're registered.
- Registration: both follow a $30,000 small-supplier threshold; Revenu Québec administers both in Quebec.
- Charities: many admissions by registered charities are exempt.
Bloom lets you turn tax on per event. More in event ticket tax in Canada.
Montreal timing tips
- Summer is festival season. From late June through August, big festivals dominate weekends. Smaller events do better midweek or by tying into the festival crowd.
- Winter still works. Montrealers go out all year. Indoor events, and winter festivals like Igloofest, keep the calendar busy.
- Watch July 1. Moving day takes a lot of people out of the social calendar around the start of July.
- Sell at the door. Tap to Pay on your phone handles walk-ups without a reader. See selling tickets at the door.
Getting discovered in Montreal
Montreal is one of the cities where LampPost runs, a free local discovery app. Bloom events in Montreal can be listed there at no extra cost. Pair it with French and English posts on your own channels and emails to past attendees. See social media for events.
Running events elsewhere? See our guides to Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.
Frequently asked questions
What taxes apply to event tickets in Montreal?
If you're registered, you charge 5% GST and 9.975% QST, for a combined 14.975%. If you're under the $30,000 small-supplier threshold, you don't have to register for either. Many charity admissions are exempt.
Do Montreal event pages need to be in French?
Under Quebec's Charter of the French Language, commercial communications such as event pages, ads and tickets aimed at Quebec consumers generally need to be available in French. You can include English too. Check the Office québécois de la langue française for rules that apply to your situation.
Can I sell tickets in French on Bloom?
Yes. You can set an event's language to French, and the event page, checkout and ticket emails appear in French.
What is the cheapest ticketing platform in Montreal?
For most paid events, Bloom's flat $0.75 per ticket is among the lowest. Registered nonprofits get a 20% rebate on Bloom's fees.
Sell your Montreal event on Bloom
$0.75 per ticket, French event pages and checkout, and free LampPost listings in Montreal.
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