Canada launches Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative

Welcoming Francophone Communities. March 20 is la Journée internationale de la francophone – an opportunity to celebrate the many vibrant French-speaking communities throughout Canada. French is one of Canada’s two official languages (English being the other). While most French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec province, many live in other provinces or territories across Canada.

The size of Francophone communities (link opens in French only) in cities and towns outside Quebec varies. The working language in these communities is usually English. Learn more about Francophone communities outside of Quebec.

There are many reasons to choose to live in a Francophone community outside Quebec. You and your family will be able to:

• benefit from French and English job opportunities
• speak both French and English in your everyday life
• learn or improve your English skills
  • permanent residents can take free language courses
• attend French-language schools
• enjoy community, health-care or daycare services in French
• get support from your community to help you settle, and feel at home right from the start

About the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative

Welcoming Francophone Communities is an initiative to support French-speaking newcomers to Canada. Immigration, Refugees an Citizenship Canada (IRCC) says that “It’s important to encourage a newcomer’s sense of belonging to their new community. Activities help build links between French speaking newcomers and their host community, which help support Francophone minority communities across Canada.”

14 communities were selected to get $12.6 million (over 3 years) for projects to make Francophone newcomers feel welcome in their new community. The 14 communities were selected across Canada (except Quebec) based on:

• the French-speaking immigrants that are in the community
• the services available in French
• the community’s willingness to attract and keep French-speaking newcomers
• how proactive the community is
• if the community is geographically limited

The members of the Communautés francophones en milieu minoritaire (CFSM) created the selection process. Communities led the process themselves.

The Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative is co-led by:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• the Francophone communities:
  • the 13 Réseaux en immigration francophone (RIF) (Francophone Immigration Networks),
  • the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne (FCFA) (federation of Francophone and Acadian communities) and
  • the Comité atlantique sur l’immigration francophone (Atlantic immigration committee).

The funding for the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative comes from the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023: Investing in our Future. It was announced in Budget 2018.

Communities selected for Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative