Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future Is the Largest Federal Investment in Official Languages in Our History

From: Canadian Heritage

News release

THUNDER BAY, Ontario, May 4, 2018

Our two official languages are at the heart of who we are as Canadians. It is crucial to have a robust, pan‑governmental approach in place to ensure that official-language minority communities continue to grow and thrive, and that our two official languages are promoted across the country.

Today, at an event that brought together key members of the Franco-Ontarian community,, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and Member of Parliament (Thunder Bay–Superior North), reiterated the recent announcement of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future. She made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Official Languages.

This plan offers a vision for the future, new funding and specific measures to support the vitality of official-language minority communities and promote French and English from coast to coast to coast.

In addition to maintaining the funding in support of official languages, this new plan proposes an additional investment of nearly $500 million over five years. This amount includes the $400-million investment announced in Budget 2018, not to mention such recent initiatives as the investment in community-based educational infrastructure for official-language minority communities announced in Budget 2017.

To find out more about all the initiatives in the Plan, which will be implemented by half a dozen departments, peruse the Action Plan.

Quotes

“With more than 30 new measures, this plan offers much that contributes directly to the vitality of this country’s official-language minority communities. It contains a Francophone immigration strategy, early childhood education measures, culture and education initiatives, and a new, free online tool for learning English and French. These measures will have a real impact on the lives of Francophones in northwestern Ontario.”

—The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and Member of Parliament (Thunder Bay–Superior North)

Quick facts

  • According to Statistics Canada’s 2016 Census, Francophone communities outside Quebec represent 3.8 percent of the population, and the rate of bilingualism among English-speakers outside Quebec is 6.8 percent. According to projections for 2036, the percentage of Francophones outside Quebec could fall to 3 percent, and the national bilingualism rate would increase only among Francophones in Quebec (rising from 44.5 percent currently to 49 percent in 2036). The current rate of bilingualism in Canada is 17.5 percent.

  • There are official-language minority communities in every province and territory, each with its own specific realities and needs. This plan addresses the unique challenges facing French‑speaking communities outside Quebec, as well as English-speaking communities in Quebec.

  • The Plan proposes additional funding of $499.2 million over and above current investments of $2.2 billion, bringing the Government of Canada’s total support to almost $2.7 billion over five years.

  • The Plan is the result of an analysis of the Pan-Canadian Consultations on Official Languages that were held from June to December 2016. More than 6,500 Canadian individuals and organizations participated, and parliamentary committee reports were tabled on the subject.

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Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Simon Ross
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
819-997-7788

Emily Harris
Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Employment,
Workforce Development and Labour
819-654-5611

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca

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