Missed-call texting for contractors in New Brunswick

Who calls NB contractors

The main markets are Moncton and Dieppe, Saint John and Quispamsis, Fredericton and Riverview, with Miramichi and Edmundston as regional centres. Expect snowy, cold winters, harsher in the north and inland than on the Fundy shore.

New Brunswick homes rely heavily on electricity and heat pumps. In 2023, by Statistics Canada's count, heat pumps were the main heating system in 27% of NB homes, electricity was the main energy source for 39% and wood for 6%. That means a steady stream of heat-pump service questions and, in cold snaps, calls from homeowners whose heat pump isn't keeping up.

A bilingual text-back that doesn't feel clumsy

The trick is brevity. Two full paragraphs, one in each language, is too much for a lock screen.

Two approaches we use, with placeholders:

Short dual-language opener:

[Business name]: sorry we missed your call / désolés d'avoir manqué votre appel. Reply in English or French and we'll answer by [time]. STOP to opt out / pour vous désabonner.

Language by area: if your caller ID or your service area tells you most callers in a given area speak French, lead with French and include an English line, and do the reverse where English dominates.

Whichever you choose, once the caller replies, every following message should be in their language. Your reply scripts need full versions in both, written or reviewed by fluent speakers.

What the language law says, and doesn't

As the provincial language commissioner's FAQ puts it, the Official Languages Act concerns the public's right to deal with the provincial government in either language. Private companies, and residents, aren't required by it to be bilingual.

So for most contractors, bilingual texting is a business choice rather than a legal one. In much of the province, it's a sensible choice.

Regulators and programs

Links for reference; we don't provide compliance advice.

• Technical Inspection Services in the Department of Public Safety licenses electrical contractors and plumbing licence holders, and issues permits for gas installations, boilers and pressure vessels.
• FCNB (Financial and Consumer Services Commission) handles consumer matters.
• Privacy: PIPEDA generally applies, according to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner's summary.

Programs, as of October 2026: NB Power's Save Energy NB lists the Total Home Energy Savings Program. Registration for the province's co-delivered Oil to Heat Pump Affordability program closed on 2026-06-30, with upgrades due by 2027-03-31, which may still prompt questions from people finishing projects. New Brunswick had no Greener Homes Affordability Program agreement as of that date. Point callers to the official pages; don't confirm eligibility by text.

How we'd measure it

Track the same numbers as anywhere, missed calls, replies and booked threads, but split them by language. If French-language threads book at a lower rate than English ones, that usually points to a script problem rather than a market problem: a stiff translation, a slower reply, or a hand-off to someone who isn't comfortable in French. Fixing that is often the quickest gain available to a bilingual business. Our missed-call math guide shows the base calculation to start from.

Getting started

Count last month's calls by language if you can, even roughly. That tells us which language leads. Then set up text-back in both, see pricing, compare with Nova Scotia, or go back to all regions.