This walkthrough shows how to build a form for Canadian respondents in Mailpro, from choosing a template to sending submissions into your contact list. We use a workshop registration as the example, but the steps apply to any form.
Step 1: Pick a starting point
Open the form builder and choose a template close to your need, such as a registration, booking or contact form, or start from a blank page. Give it a clear internal name, for example “Spring workshop, Ottawa”.
Step 2: Add only the fields you need
For a workshop registration: first name, last name, email, and perhaps a phone number in +1 format for day-of updates. PIPEDA’s principle of limiting collection means you should ask only for what the purpose requires. Mark essential fields as mandatory and leave the rest optional.
Step 3: Add consent for marketing
If you’d like to add registrants to your newsletter, include a separate, unticked checkbox such as: “Yes, I’d like to receive the monthly newsletter from [Business name], [address]. I can unsubscribe at any time.” Registration alone is an inquiry-type relationship; a clear opt-in turns it into express consent under CASL that doesn’t expire. Keep SMS consent as its own checkbox if you plan to text.
Step 4: Write a short privacy notice
Below the submit button, state why you collect the data, how long you keep it, where it is stored and who to contact with questions, with a link to your full privacy policy. Mailpro stores responses in Switzerland, outside US jurisdiction, so say so; Quebec’s Law 25 expects transparency about transfers outside the province.
Step 5: Create the French version
Duplicate the form and translate every label, placeholder, error message and the consent wording. Adjust formats: French-Canadian dates are often written 2026-10-12 or 12 octobre 2026, and postal codes follow the same A1A 1A1 pattern in both languages. Add a hidden field for language so follow-ups go out in French.
Step 6: Share and connect
Publish the form and share it by link, QR code, email or by embedding it on your website. Then synchronize responses with your contacts so each registrant lands on the right list, with the consent field recorded. From there, a confirmation email and a reminder the day before the event can go out automatically.
After the event
Once the workshop is over, you can send attendees a short feedback survey and, for those who ticked the newsletter box, a welcome email. For those who didn’t, their registration counts as an inquiry: CASL generally allows messages on the basis of implied consent for six months, but a single, clear invitation to subscribe is the better practice.
Before you go live
- Test the form on a phone and on a desktop.
- Submit a test entry in each language and check the confirmation emails.
- Confirm that unticked consent is recorded as “no” and that only opted-in contacts join your newsletter list.
Need a dedicated newsletter sign-up instead? See our guide on subscription forms, or learn more about sign-up forms in Mailpro. Back to the online forms overview for Canada.