Official Languages Day
French and English are more than just means of communication: they strengthen the ties that bind our communities, promote mutual understanding, and symbolize our commitment to diversity. These 2 languages have coexisted and shaped Canada’s history and culture since the adoption of the Official Languages Act in 1969. They are an integral part of Canadian identity, contributing to the country’s social and economic wealth.
Since 2009, Official Languages Day is celebrated the second Thursday of September. It’s the opportunity to highlight our linguistic heritage as well as the initiatives, progress and people who contribute to the vitality of English and French.
This year, Official Languages Day is on September 11, 2025.
For Official Languages Day, I support Canadian books!
Support Canadian authors! Buy or borrow a book, listen to an audio version or share content on social media.
Event “Uniting Around Canadian Books”
On September 11, join us for an event on the role of Canadian literature in intercultural dialogue. Register now!
Digital toolkit
Access our digital toolkit to promote Official Languages Day and the campaign “For Official Languages Day, I support Canadian books!”
Resources
Mauril: a fun and engaging way to learn
Discover the free Mauril app to learn French and English or improve your language skills.
Official Languages Hub®
Use this search tool to access a wide array of Government of Canada resources on official languages.
Additional information
- History of Official Languages Day
- 2022 Survey on the Official Language Minority Population from Statistics Canada
- Resources of the Language Portal of Canada
- Modernization of the Official Languages Act
- Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028: Protection - Promotion - Collaboration
- The Network | Linguistic Duality Network
- Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions