Annual Report on Official Languages 2018-2019

This publication is available upon request in alternative formats.

List of figures
List of tables
List of acronyms and abbreviations
Message from the Minister
2018-2019 Highlights
Introduction
1. A renewed commitment by federal institutions
2. Supporting community stakeholders
3. Strengthening access to services
4. Promotion of official languages
Conclusion
Appendix 1: 2018-2019 Summary of government investments in official languages (including initiatives of Action Plan 2018–2023)
Appendix 2: 2018-2019 Expenditures of the Official Languages Support Programs by component
Appendix 3: 2018-2019 expenditures of the Official Languages Support Programs by province and territory
Appendix 4: 2018-2019 education expenditures
Appendix 5: School enrolment in 2017-2018

List of figures

Figure 1. 2018-2019 Highlights
Figure 2. Unveiling of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023
Figure 3. Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Official Languages Act
Figure 4. Public Meeting on the modernization of the Official Languages Act as part of the launch of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Act
Figure 5. Supporting the vital forces of communities: new initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023
Figure 6. Some key figures on Canadian Heritage and Canada Council for the Arts support to community artists in 2018-2019
Figure 7. Francophone Immigration Strategy
Figure 8. Strengthening Access to Services: New Initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023
Figure 9. Promotion of Official Languages: New Initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023
Figure 10. Increase in the number of enrolments in French immersion programs offered outside Quebec since 2003
Figure 11. Some figures on the popularity of the Language Portal of Canada (2018-2019)

List of tables

Table 1. PCH: Growth generating Community Educational Infrastructure Projects
Table 2. 2018-2019 Summary of government investments in official languages (including initiatives of Action Plan 2018–2023)
Table 3. Expenditures of Canadian Heritage Official Languages Support Programs – Grand total (in dollars)
Table 4. Expenditures of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by component (in dollars)
Table 5. Expenditures of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program by component (in dollars)
Table 6. Official Languages Support Programs Expenditures by Province and Territory (in dollars)
Table 7. Expenditures of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Table 8. Expenditures of the “Community Life” component of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Table 9. Expenditures of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Table 10. Breakdown of education expenditures (in dollars)
Table 11. Breakdown of education expenditures – Intergovernmental cooperation (in dollars)
Table 12. Breakdown of education expenditures — Council of Ministers of Education, Collaboration with the non-governmental sector and Young Canada Works (in dollars)
Table 13. Enrolments in second language instruction programs in majority language school systems – All of Canada
Table 14. Enrolments in second language instruction programs in majority language school systems by province or territory
Table 15. Enrolments in minority language education programs – All of Canada
Table 16. Enrolments in minority language education programs by province and territory

List of acronyms and abbreviations

Act: Official Languages Act
Action Plan 2018–2023: Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future
CanNor: Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
CBC: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
CRTC: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
EDI: Economic Development Initiative
ESDC: Employment and Social Development Canada
FedDev Ontario: Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
FedNor: Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
HC: Health Canada
IRCC: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
ISED: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
JC: Justice Canada
PCH: Canadian Heritage
PSPC: Public Services and Procurement Canada
QCGN: Quebec Community Groups Network
RDÉE Canada: Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité Canada
WD: Western Economic Diversification Canada

Alternate format

Annual Report on Official Languages 2018-2019 [PDF version - 4.62 MB]

This report was originally written for digital. In order to simplify the text:

“community or communities” means an official language minority community or communities
a “federal institution” means a federal institution or agency subject to the Act.
the “Report” refers to the Annual Report on Official Languages 2018–2019

Message from the Minister

English and French are at the heart of the Canadian identity. They are the languages of our common experience, a meeting place for our diversity and a powerful tool for inclusion. The year 2018-19 gave us tremendous opportunities to reaffirm our commitment to linguistic duality and to consolidate support for our official language minority communities.

Communities across the country urgently needed the unprecedented investments and measures announced in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future. We began its implementation and community organizations were able to benefit from the roll-out of the 28% increase in their core funding, bringing the total core funding provided by Canadian Heritage, Employment and Social Development Canada, Justice Canada and Health Canada to $320 million over five years. We also announced major investments in 18 educational, community and cultural infrastructure projects in communities, totalling more than $16 million in 2018-19.

Official language minority radio stations and newspapers play an essential role in their communities. That is why the Action Plan proposes to help community media adapt to today’s reality. We acted swiftly by providing special recovery assistance to 15 vulnerable media outlets and launching a first series of internships for the next generation of media professionals.

The measures taken by federal institutions in 2018-19 were set against the backdrop of preparations for and kick-off of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act. All Canadians benefit from this Act that established the equal status of English and French and also language rights for citizens. This anniversary provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come in the past 50 years as we set out to modernize the Act so that it continues to meet the needs and aspirations of Canadians in all their diversity.

As Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, I invite you to consult the Annual Report on Official Languages 2018-19 to learn more about the work carried out by Canadian Heritage and all federal institutions in support of official languages.

The honorable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Economic Development
and Official Languages

2018-2019 Highlights

Introduction

In 2018–2019, more than ever before, official languages causes mobilized those in charge of the causes within federal institutions. In addition, more often than not, these causes were front and centre in the news.

One of the highlights of the year was the work being done to revise the Official Languages Regulations, the goal of which is to expand access to bilingual services for Canadians across the country. The Government’s proposed amendments were tabled in Parliament on October 25, 2018, so that all interested parties could review and comment on the proposal before promulgation, in 2019. Across Canada, federal institutions and communities went to work in 2018–2019 on preparations for the 50th anniversary of the Official Languages Act (the Act). These outstanding events complemented the many initiatives undertaken by federal institutions as part of existing programs and regular activities for the implementation of section 41 of the Act. This Report gives a partial overview.

In summer 2018, the Prime Minister mandated the Minister responsible for Official Languages, Mélanie Joly, to begin a review with a view to modernizing the Official Languages Act. In March 2019, an initial series of six round tables in Hemmingford, Moncton, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, St. John’s and Ottawa provided citizens from all walks of life with the opportunity to express their views on major themes such as official languages and Canada in the digital age, as well as on specific topics such as education, immigration and access to technology. This process continued in 2019–2020.

Lastly, on March 28, 2018, in the wake of the announcement of the Action Plan 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future, stakeholders got to work right away on its implementation. This plan focuses on three main pillars: strengthening our communities, strengthening access to services and promoting a bilingual Canada. In addition to maintaining the existing funding level for all programs, the Action Plan 2018–2023 includes a new investment of $500 million over five years. In addition to their regular activities, the federal institutions mandated to implement the announced initiatives quickly undertook major consultations with communities and the organizations that represent them. Throughout the year, processes were defined, steps were taken and calls for proposals were launched. The initial results are already apparent, and more will be seen in the coming months.

**Figure 2. Unveiling of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023**

For this reason, the structure of this Report is largely based on the structure of the Action Plan 2018-2023. Section 1 briefly describes the actions undertaken by Canadian Heritage and the partner departments identified as primarily responsible for its implementation; the Report also offers a brief look back at the major events of the year. Section 2 focuses on the economic, cultural and social dimensions of community development, while Section 3 focuses on strengthening access to services such as education, justice and health care. Lastly, section 4 is devoted to the promotion of official languages both in Canada and abroad.

The requirements of the Act

The Official Languages Act requires that the Minister responsible for Official Languages report to Parliament, after each fiscal year, on the activities and accomplishments of federal institutions subject to Part VII of the Act.

The Annual Report on Official Languages 2018–2019 provides an overview of the various measures taken by the 200 or so federal institutions subject to the Act to enhance the development and vitality of official language minority communities across the country, and foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

1. A renewed commitment by federal institutions

The year 2018–2019 was marked by several important events, but also by increased collaboration among federal institutions, particularly in advance of the 50th anniversary of the Act. This section offers a brief look back at the highlights of this collaboration and the milestones that shaped the year.

1.1 Strong government collaboration
1.2 Amendments to the Official Languages Regulations
1.3 A brief look back at the major events of the year
1.4 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives

1.1 Strong government collaboration

Leadership of Canadian Heritage

In 2018–2019, several major events led the Department to intensify its coordination efforts throughout the year. In doing so, Canadian Heritage also addressed the priorities set out in the mandate letter received by the Minister responsible for Official Languages in August 2018.

As part of its efforts, Canadian Heritage coordinated interdepartmental Canada wide programming under which federal institutions prepared activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the Act.

On the ground, the Department also put in place various mechanisms to ensure collaborative implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives. Canadian Heritage favours an approach referred to as “by and for” the communities, based on their representatives’ participation at all project stages. This year, the Department held many dialogue sessions with organizations that network for the development of communities, culture or second language learning in order to facilitate closer alignment among program parameters, the reality of different environments and the initiatives being developed.

Statutory dimensions

Section 42 of the Act gives Canadian Heritage responsibility for the horizontal coordination of official languages within federal institutions that implement section 41. As such, the Department acts as a true centre of expertise for the 200 or so institutions involved. In particular, the Department is responsible for the management and facilitation of a network of coordinators (Network 41) responsible for implementation within each institution. Furthermore, the Department works closely with the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Council of the Network of Official Languages Champions to increase leadership in official languages and promote the sharing of best practices.

Collaboration agreement for the development of arts and culture in the francophone minority communities of Canada

On December 12, 2018, the partners renewed the Collaboration Agreement for the Development of Arts and Culture in the Francophone Minority Communities of Canada for 2018–2023. The Agreement aims to strengthen collaboration among the communities, represented by the Fédération culturelle canadienne-française, the national organization representing the communities on cultural matters, and the six federal institutions that signed the agreement: Canadian Heritage, the National Arts Centre, the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Film Board of Canada, CBC/Radio-Canada and Telefilm Canada. The renewal of the Agreement, which was first signed 20 years ago, enhances the role of the committee of signatories, which will meet annually to identify priorities for action. The working groups, which will be called on to work on the priorities identified by the committee of signatories, will also play a greater role. Canadian Heritage, which spearheaded the agreement renewal process, is also coordinating its implementation in collaboration with the Fédération culturelle canadienne française.

1.2 Amendments to the Official Languages

On October 25, 2018, the government tabled in Parliament a series of proposed amendments to the Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations (the Regulations), which had not been reviewed since their adoption in 1991. Effective July 2019, the Regulations were amended to:

recognize the growing diversity of communities
protect the bilingual designation of certain existing federal offices
designate more than 600 new bilingual offices
streamline the language of service to the public in embassies and consulates by designating as bilingual the offices of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in these locations
ensure a comprehensive analysis of the Regulations ten years after the adoption of the proposed amendments and every ten years thereafter, along with a requirement on the President of the Treasury Board to table that analysis in Parliament.

The communities had long made this important update a priority. The modified Regulations will provide them with stronger and more resilient service infrastructure to better live their daily lives in the language of their choice and undertake new projects that will enhance their vitality and development.

1.3 A brief look back at the major events of the year

The 2018–2019 year was packed with events of importance for the communities and the promotion of Canada’s two official languages.

The 50th anniversary of the Act

Preparations for the 50th anniversary of the Act brought together many key players throughout 2018–2019. Canadian Heritage produced a range of tools and messages that were shared with all federal institutions wishing to highlight the event within their networks. Departmental employees who are members of Network 42, which has a mandate to mobilize federal institutions and coordinate their regional efforts to promote official languages across Canada, worked closely with the institutions to build truly Canada wide programming, in keeping with their respective mandates. At the national level, the Department, involved in a number of major events, also created and facilitated a steering committee to coordinate preparations for a major Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Act. Organized in partnership with Justice Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat, the highly anticipated event took place in May 2019.

**Figure 3. Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Official Languages Act**

Lastly, through its Official Languages Support Programs, Canadian Heritage funded dozens of community projects celebrating this momentous occasion across Canada.

Key dates in the history of the Official Languages Act

1969: The first federal Official Languages Act is enacted, declaring English and French to be the two official languages of Canada.

1982: The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is enacted, strengthening language rights from that point forward.

1988: The second federal Official Languages Act is enacted to ensure the implementation of the federal language rights enshrined in the Charter. The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing the vitality of communities and supporting their development, as well as fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

2005: The Official Languages Act is amended to specify that federal institutions must take positive measures to realize the Government of Canada’s commitment to its communities. A legal remedy before the Federal Court is now applicable to that part of the Act.

2019: The Government of Canada undertakes a review of the Official Languages Act with a view to modernizing it.

Launch of a review with a view to modernizing the Act

In March 2019, the Minister responsible for Official Languages and La Francophonie began the process of reviewing the Act with a view to modernizing it. This exercise, launched on the 50th anniversary of the Act, will ensure that the Act is better able to address the major issues that make this review necessary today. Following that announcement, the Minister held some 20 forums and round tables, in every province and territory. In particular, participants were encouraged to consider the engagement, development and vitality of communities, the role of federal institutions, the promotion of culture and bilingualism, official languages and Canada’s place in the world, and official languages in the digital age.

This approach complemented other initiatives previously carried out. In spring 2018, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages conducted an online consultation to better identify the major issues associated with the potential future modernization of the Act. It also held consultations across Canada with individuals and groups that have particular experience in official languages—academic researchers, legal experts, and representatives of community organizations, for example. The Commissioner tabled his report, containing 18 recommendations, in May 2019.

In November 2018, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages undertook a study on three specific aspects of the modernization of the Act: the monitoring framework, the Treasury Board’s official languages responsibilities and duties (Part VIII of the Act), and the benefits of the Act as an agent of social cohesion. At the same time, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages examined issues related to the application of and compliance with the Act by federal institutions. Committee members heard from over 300 witnesses, and many stakeholders submitted extensive briefs containing concrete recommendations. The committee consulted young Canadians, members of official language minority communities and people who have witnessed the evolution of the Act, as well as representatives of the justice sector and federal institutions. The Committee tabled its report, containing 20 recommendations, in June 2019.

**Figure 4. Public Meeting on the modernization of the Official Languages Act as part of the launch of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Act**

Other major events

In July 2018, the 23rd Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie was held in Whitehorse, Yukon. The theme of the meeting was “Keeping in Touch”. It provided an opportunity for the ministers to discuss a number of important topics, such as access to family justice in French and training for legal experts. Looking to the future, they also reflected on innovations in service delivery and the role that technological change could play in improving French language services.

The Whitehorse conference was held on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, and the ministers were welcomed by Kluane Adamek, Regional Chief for Yukon at the Assembly of First Nations, who presented her vision of the bridges that exist and those to be built between Canada’s Francophone and Indigenous communities.

1.4 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives

For all the institutions directly involved in the implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023, as well as the communities concerned, the year 2018–2019 proved to be particularly busy. The renewal of $2.2 billion in permanent funding over five years enabled the federal institutions responsible for programs stemming directly from the Action Plan 2018–2023 to continue and to re-launch activities under way. In order to make the best use of the resources at their disposal, many consulted the communities they work with, reviewed certain programs to improve them, explored new courses of action and launched new calls for projects.

The Action Plan 2018–2023 had a budget increase of $500 million over five years. A significant portion of this additional amount, $70 million, is devoted to core funding for community organizations that represent or bring together community stakeholders and the promotion of official languages. This 28% increase brings the total core funding from Canadian Heritage (PCH), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Justice Canada (JC) and Health Canada (HC) to $320 million over five years.

With this additional funding, some departments were also able to create new core funding programs for their partner organizations. For example, Justice Canada signed three-year funding agreements (2018–2019 to 2020–2021) with 11 organizations (ten provincial/ territorial and one national) through the Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund. Discussions are under way with the remaining provinces and territories to ensure that at least one eligible organization per province and territory can benefit from this program.

Federal institutions that are partners in the Action Plan 2018–2023 on the ground

The implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023 requires a strong commitment not only from Canadian Heritage, but also from partner federal institutions. In their respective fields of expertise, all have set to work to put the Action Plan 2018–2023 statements into action in order to support the vitality of these communities, provide them with services to support their development and promote bilingualism in Canadian society. More detailed information about their work is presented at the start of each section of this report.

2. Supporting community stakeholders

In the context of their respective mandates, federal institutions work in various ways to support and foster the development of Francophone communities outside Quebec and English speaking communities in Quebec. Despite these efforts, Francophones in minority communities represented only 3.8% of the Canadian population in 2016 (6.1% in 1970). Decisive action must be taken; otherwise, Statistics Canada predicts that this proportion will be only 3% by 2036. The Action Plan 2018–2023 aims to stabilize this proportion at 4% and to enhance the vitality of English speaking communities in Quebec, especially those outside Greater Montréal.

In 2018–2019, federal institutions were called on to frame their actions within the context of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 for the first time. Section 2 therefore provides an overview of initiatives in the following broad areas:

2.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023
2.2 Continuing to invest in the economic development of communities
2.3 Promoting vibrant media for informed communities
2.4 Fostering cultural outreach
2.5 Increasing Francophone immigration

2.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023

**Figure 5. Supporting the vital forces of communities: new initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023**

The Action Plan 2018–2023 helps communities seize new opportunities for development, investment and outreach. With the 28% increase in core funding provided by PCH, ESDC, JC and HC to organizations representing the communities (refer to 1.4), the communities are able to fully participate in all stages of these developments. In concrete terms, it enables the use of a “by and for” approach whereby the communities play an essential role at each stage of project identification, prioritization, definition and implementation, be they recurring or ad hoc initiatives. This approach strengthens the communities’ capacity to act and benefits all the communities concerned.

Although seven federal institutions are primarily responsible for the implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023, many institutions are implementing initiatives that contribute to the objectives of the Action Plan 2018–2023 and have undertaken new initiatives or expanded the scope of existing programs to better meet the needs of communities in priority areas.

The Action Plan 2018–2023 provides for the injection of an additional $67.2 million over five years for the construction of community and educational infrastructure. Managed by Canadian Heritage, this funding is in addition to the $80 million over ten years for community educational infrastructure announced in Budget 2017. This funding supports the construction and upgrading of schools and other educational facilities by ensuring that various services and activities (e.g. daycare services, skills training and community programming) are accessible to community members. In total, 18 infrastructure projects received funding in 2018–2019, for a total of $16 million. Table 1: PCH – Growth-generating Community Educational Infrastructure Projects, opposite, gives an overview of some of these projects.
As part of the Action Plan 2018–2023, Statistics Canada is receiving an additional $3 million over five years to gather and provide evidence on the communities and on Canada’s official languages. Throughout 2018–2019, the Agency published fact sheets, several analytical products, reports and articles on topics of interest to communities, researchers and program officials. For example, the Agency worked with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to conduct a study on the economic integration of immigrants and their children in minority language settings, the results of which were presented at various conferences across Canada. All this information has made it possible to address shortcomings and clarify analyses of the situations in the communities. It has also helped identify relevant and concrete courses of action.
As announced in Budget 2018 and included in the Action Plan 2018–2023, the Government will invest close to $36.6 million over the next five years in IRCC’s Francophone integration pathway to create lasting ties between French-speaking newcomers and Francophone minority communities. The new Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative is part of this approach and aims to help Francophone minority communities create a welcoming environment with the capacity to integrate and retain French-speaking newcomers. In total, 14 communities were selected for 2018–2019: one per province and territory, with the exception of Quebec, and three in Ontario. Starting in April 2020, these communities will share a total of $4.2 million per year to implement community based projects and activities designed to foster the integration of French speaking immigrants
As the department responsible for the new Quebec English-Speaking Communities Fund, Canadian Heritage held a new series of discussions with representatives from across the province, which led to the identification of a series of regional issues. Through these discussions, the Department benefited from community expertise and knowledge that will help it better analyze the funding applications submitted in 2019–2020. The projects’ intended beneficiaries will include English-speaking communities in the regions, and the projects will be designed to improve the services offered to those communities by local community organizations.

Table 1. PCH: Growth generating Community Educational Infrastructure Projects
Project	Description	Total Amount Approved
Prince Edward Island Expansion and renovation of the Belle-Alliance Centre and École- sur-Mer in Summerside	The expansion will create space for secondary school education. It includes new classrooms, a trades room, a science lab, technology facilities, culinary spaces and student council facilities.	$3,000,000
Manitoba Construction of an early learning and child care centre – University of Saint Boniface	The project involves the construction of a child care centre that will support parents who study or work at the University as well as those who live in the surrounding Francophone or Francophile community.	$2,077,000
New Brunswick Cafetorium/theatre at École Assomption in Rogersville	The capital project involves the establishment of a cafeterium/theatre at École Assomption in Rogersville.	$3,200,000
Nova Scotia Renovation of the Gustave Blanche Building in Clare	This project will involve the renovation of the roof, windows and exterior cladding of the building, as well as upgrading of certain interior spaces (renovation of the Fanfare Hall, creation of multi-purpose rooms).	$500,000
Quebec: Upgrade to the recreational facilities at Royal Vale School in the Côte des Neiges / Notre Dame de Grâce district of Montréal	The project involves renovating the area of the school’s old swimming pool by removing the pool and installing a multi-purpose gym, a fully equipped locker room and a fitness room to meet the needs of both the school and the community.	$500,000
Ontario Addition of specialized spaces and community access to the arts and sports facilities at the Centre d’excellence artistique de l’Ontario and De La Salle public high school in Ottawa	The school and the Centre are planning to add over 35,000 square feet and renovate over 20,000 square feet of existing space to meet educational programming needs, as well as community needs. The project will also provide for the purchase of state of-the-art audiovisual equipment to support creation and dissemination in a context of learning, collaboration and sharing.	$5,858,450

2.2 Continuing to invest in community economic development

The economic development initiative

For Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Action Plan 2018–2023 launched the third iteration of the Economic Development Initiative (EDI). Under the initiative, the Department and its regional development agencies specifically target communities where major unfavourable differences can be seen relative to the majority in terms of socio- economic indicators such as the unemployment rate and income levels.

Throughout the year, ISED worked closely with its regional development agencies to discuss major issues related to the EDI, determine its directions and identify its performance measurement tools. The research component of the EDI has initiated more than a dozen studies and analyses. Two national consultations with Anglophone and Francophone community representatives each brought together more than 50 community stakeholders and representatives of federal institutions: the consultations provided an opportunity to share information about key initiatives and strengthen cooperation among community stakeholders in economic development.

Although ISED sometimes works directly with communities on engaging initiatives, ISED’s growth generating economic development programs and projects are typically managed directly by regional development agencies.

In New Brunswick, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) contributed close to $845,000 to the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick (CENB) for a three-year support project with 15 Francophone manufacturing companies. The initiative aims to establish a culture of process improvement by applying productivity improvement principles, while ensuring effective and sustainable knowledge transfer. The ACOA also contributed just over $63,000 to the CENB for the second pan-Atlantic forum Éveil PME, for young Francophones in Grade 12 and post- secondary education; the event, held on February 22 and 23, 2019, brought together 178 students from across the region, as well as from Quebec, in addition to some 30 teachers, speakers and partners. In Prince Edward Island, the ACOA intensified its work with the Francophone business community by maintaining regular office hours at the Evangeline Region Rural Action Centre. Among other things, this increased support enabled the Francophone community to obtain one of the five annual investments made by the province in 2018 through the Ignition Fund, which supports start-up businesses.
In 2018–2019, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED) financially supported 19 projects worth a total of $1.9 million. The main objective of these projects was to support the development of tourism and entrepreneurship, and the economic diversification of English-speaking communities. One of these projects, the Generation V Boat Building start up company, is taking place in the Magdalen Islands. The business owners, representing a fifth generation of builders, specialize in building fibreglass boats with unique hull designs. They plan to create nine full-time and two part-time jobs, and their well-established network in the Maritimes and the United States means they see strong growth potential in the years ahead.
In the next province over, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) selected five of the 26 funding applications received. Specifically, it supported the “Effet multiplicateur” [multiplier effect] project of the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario. The initiative will provide non-repayable contributions of between $2,500 and $25,000 per year to at least 50 groups, including ten SMEs and ten social economy enterprises. FedDev also supported the development by La Cité collégiale of an immersive 3i co-creation concept for Francophone entrepreneurs called La Factorie, this accelerator project in cutting-edge fields, which involves several partners, lays the groundwork for an ecosystem dedicated to French- language innovation in Eastern Ontario.
In 2018–2019, FedNor invested close to $800,000 in community development and support in Northern Ontario, through the EDI. In Dubreuilville, through the research component, the Agency funded a pre-feasibility study to support the development of a state-of-the-art wood processing facility on the former site of a forestry company. The results are promising and suggest that the North American markets targeted by the proposed technology should take off, paving the way for a full feasibility study. In Hearst, FedNor has invested close to $460,000 this year to create a space that can be used to hold major events downtown. The funding, which represents 45% of the project’s eligible costs, will help build a permanent pavilion, a stage, an outdoor esplanade, a storage area, a walking trail and a parking lot, as well as help purchase equipment.
In 2018–2019, Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) contributed just over $1 million to seven projects, including support to the Assemblée communautaire fransaskoise for the deployment of social economy initiatives, and assistance to the Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta for the creation of a network of physical and virtual incubators dedicated to Francophone businesses. Prior to that, the Agency also renewed its financial support to the four Francophone Economic Development Organizations that offer a range of essential services (planning, mentoring, networking, training, etc.) to Francophone businesses and entrepreneurs in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In 2018–2019, the business services offered by these organizations created, maintained or improved nearly 760 jobs within communities.
The support provided by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) to the Conseil de développement économique des Territoires du Nord-Ouest will enable the latter to provide Francophones in this territory with entrepreneurial capacity-building tools and training, in addition to helping them undertake tourism promotion activities. The two-year initiative, launched in 2018–2019, will result in disbursements of $284,000. During the year, CanNor also provided $80,000 to the Association franco-yukonnaise to assist in its search for bilingual workers to meet the needs of local entrepreneurs. This project, a continuation of an initiative launched in 2015, enabled the Association to participate in job fairs in Quebec and Ottawa, and expand its social media activities using marketing and research materials developed with the Agency’s assistance.

Other support for community economic growth

Under their respective mandates, several other federal institutions also support community economic development. For example, Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada (AAFC) approved funding for two major companies in Ontario communities to help them deal with issues resulting from increased market access to foreign competitors. The Fromagerie Kapuskoise, located in Kapuskasing, in Northern Ontario, and the St-Albert Cheese Cooperative, located in Russell, in Eastern Ontario, received $48,000 and over $1.5 million respectively. This funding, from the Dairy Processing Investment Fund, will be used to purchase automated production equipment and to upgrade equipment and buildings to optimize processes and reduce production costs.

Across Canada, tourism has become an increasingly important source of economic development for communities, and it also represents an asset to the regions where they are located. In November 2018, Destination Canada and RDÉE Canada signed a five-year memorandum of understanding that will bolster the export potential of Francophonie experiences throughout the country. This agreement will benefit both organizations and all communities, as it will allow for the cross promotion of Destination Canada’s collection of signature experiences and the Francophone Heritage, Culture and Tourism Corridor, which provides a range of heritage, cultural and tourism products and services that offer visitor services in French. Several months after this new agreement was signed, during RDÉE’s quarterly meeting Destination Canada held a workshop that was attended by organizations from Western and Northern Canada, the purpose of which was to better understand the communities’ expectations and identify options that will address concrete needs.

For example, ISED donated $20,000 to the Northern Ontario Hockey Association, which was preparing to celebrate its centennial by organizing its first bilingual hockey festival in New Liskeard, in the Témiscaming region located on the Quebec border. This money was used to offset promotional costs in neighbouring northwestern Quebec, thereby encouraging greater interprovincial participation. The organizers hoped to welcome 5,000 visitors during the festivities, which took place in May 2019.

Contracting and employment opportunities

Knowing where to look and being on the lookout for opportunities can sometimes change many things in the lives of entrepreneurs and job seekers alike. The Office of Small and Medium Enterprises (OSME) of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has offices across the country. Through its networks, it promotes some 45 webinars offered free of charge in French on topics such as selling to government, business opportunities and defence procurement. Across the country, its representatives maintain ongoing relationships with local and regional economic development organizations; together, they organize various seminars for business people. To meet the growing demand, the OSME’s Moncton office hired two additional Francophone outreach officers this year.

In 2018–2019, Natural Resources Canada had to meet organizational needs and fill bilingual positions. The Department therefore incorporated its recruitment strategies and communications activities into its obligations under Part VII of the Act. This decision led it to participate in various career fairs at Ontario’s Francophone post-secondary institutions to recruit students in fields as diverse as communications, engineering and scientific research. The availability of promotional material, active on-site communication in both official languages and the possibility of immediate conditional offers of employment resulted in a notable increase in student participation.

Along the same lines, ACOA provided $25,000 under the EDI to RDÉE Newfoundland and Labrador to hold an annual bilingual conference on careers and entrepreneurship requiring post-secondary education. For the first time, the event, intended for Francophone and French immersion high school students, was held in two locations, on the east and west coasts of the island: no fewer than 753 students attended the conference, which represents a considerable increase in the number of participants compared to previous years.

2.3 Promoting vibrant media for informed communities

Support for community media

There is a broad consensus recognizing the essential role that community media play in communities, and this is one of the key areas of intervention identified in the Action Plan 2018–2023. In 2018–2019, a new Community Media Strategic Support Fund set up by Canadian Heritage with $10 million over five years provided 15 community media—including Huronia radio in Penetanguishene, Ontario, and the newspapers l’Eau Vive in Regina and West Quebec Post in Gatineau—with one- time and strategic support for targeted projects enabling them to overcome specific challenges. Worth a total of $605,000, these projects served, among other things, to develop sales strategies and new markets that provide these media with some stability through increased revenues from advertising and subscribers.

Officially piloted by the Association de la presse francophone (APF), the Fund is supported collectively by all members of the Consortium of Official Language Minority Community Media. Formed in 2016, this Consortium was created by the APF, the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada and the Quebec Community Newspapers Association. The English Language Arts Network (ELAN) more recently joined the Consortium to represent English language community radio stations in Quebec. In January 2019, the Fund also made it possible to organize a one-day collaborative session during which representatives of these associations, various media outlets and the government worked together to develop a set of recommendations to determine the essential parameters for implementing this new Fund.

An envelope of more than $4.5 million over five years also made it possible to create, starting in September 2018, an initial series of 37 new internships at radio stations and newspaper publishers in Anglophone and Francophone communities across Canada. Implemented under Canadian Heritage’s Young Canada Works at Building Careers in English and French program, the fund is administered by the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française.

In addition, in 2018–2019, PCH funded three community radio projects through the Strategic Fund for the Development of Official Language Communities, providing a total amount of $377,519. For example:

La Radio communautaire du Manitoba used the support it received to update its music library: the computer server was rebuilt, a backup system was put in place, the song bank was rebuilt, and all of the station’s computers were reconfigured so that the station could continue to serve the Franco-Manitoban community. The assistance provided amounts to $21,755.
With funding of just over $250,000, Radio communautaire de Cornwall-Alexandria was able to modernize an outdated broadcasting system that was more than 25 years old and had inadequate coverage over the vast territory of the United Counties of Prescott-Russell that the radio is now licensed to serve since the Canadian Radio television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and Industry Canada allowed it to double its coverage. With this funding, the station was able to purchase a new antenna to be installed in Dunvegan, a new transmitter, a generator and several other related pieces of equipment essential to its new activities.
An amount of $102,660 over two years was provided to the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada to implement an online broadcasting system that allows all Alliance member stations to operate on the same platform and in the same audio encoding format. This system will be installed on digital audio devices and mobile device applications.

The sensitivity of all federal institutions to the crucial role of these media has also resulted in various decisions and initiatives that bring hope to communities.

The Aid to Publishers component of the Canada Periodical Fund administered by Canadian Heritage provided more than $850,000 to community periodicals, including Le Franco (Alberta), The Gaspé Spec (Quebec) and La Voix acadienne (Atlantic Region). Through the Collective Initiatives component, the Fund also continued its funding of the Web portal project undertaken by the Association de la presse francophone and the Quebec Community Newspapers Association; their goal is to develop and put online a unified national portal that will share news from all the Anglophone and Francophone communities represented.
In a decision rendered in March 2019, the CRTC concluded that the radio market in Timmins, Northern Ontario, could not accommodate another English- language commercial station without jeopardizing the French-language station CHYK-FM, which already faces strong competition from English-language commercial stations. The CRTC thus ensured that the French-language community could continue to receive quality private radio service in its language.
Since October 2018, thanks to a concerted effort by WD and Canadian Heritage, Edmonton’s Francophone community has had a new community radio station. Launched in 2017, this project, worth a total of nearly $700,000, has created 10 new jobs and hired at least 25 community partners for local programming.

Informing communities in their language

Throughout the year, Société Radio-Canada (SRC) bolstered initiatives promoting the production and broadcasting of information and entertainment programming that targets communities as a priority. In particular, it deployed video journalists to some Francophone communities (particularly in Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area) to increase coverage of Francophone communities on the various stations. From January to April 2019, it carried out a pilot project in Iqaluit to provide French-language news coverage of the community. In September 2018, the work of SRC was recognized by the Association canadienne-française de l’Alberta, which awarded its Provincial Impact Award to ICI Alberta.

Radio Canada’s English-language counterpart, the CBC, performed equally well. In September 2018, for the first time in Quebec’s history, a televised debate of political party leaders was held in English during the provincial election campaign. Held at the Maison de Radio-Canada in Montréal and broadcast on television and on multiple platforms, the debate was organized by CBC Quebec, in collaboration with other English language media.

The decline in spending on advertising is hard on all media, but it is felt even more strongly by community media. However, many federal institutions continue to use them because these advertisements remain a preferred means of reaching their target audiences and supporting the communities. For example, as part of the construction, operation and decommissioning project for an open pit lithium and tantalum mine north of Nemaska in the municipality of James Bay, Quebec, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency made sure to have its notices published in the newspaper “The Temiskaming Speaker” in order to reach the English-speaking community. The same approach was used in a remediation and restoration project east of Pictou, Nova Scotia: advertisements placed in Le courrier de la Nouvelle- Écosse and broadcast via CKJM-FM, the Chéticamp radio cooperative, ensure that the Francophone communities concerned remain informed.

Equally systematic efforts were made by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA): in fall 2018, the institution took great care to include community media in cities in British Columbia and the Prairies affected by its security screening campaign during the busy holiday season. CATSA also worked hard to maximize the visibility of its materials and digital campaign messages in Francophone markets across the country. The results were conclusive: Francophones accounted for 42% of people who installed CATSA’s application, and its Facebook ads generated more clicks and hits combined than English-language ads.

2.4 Fostering cultural outreach

Support for creation and dissemination

**Figure 6. Some key figures on Canadian Heritage and Canada Council for the Arts support to community artists in 2018-2019**

In 2018–2019, the Canada Council for the Arts provided over $18.5 million in total funding (programs and strategic funding combined) to communities, representing an increase of 24.9% over the amounts provided in 2017–2018. Among the commitments stemming from the Action Plan 2018–2023, the Market Access Strategy for Artists from Official Language Minority Communities provided $550,000 to 27 separate recipients, including Montreal’s Black Theatre Workshop. With a grant of $35,000, it was able to present its production of The Mountaintop at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa in January and February 2019, thereby increasing its opportunities to develop a national audience.

Administered by Canadian Heritage, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series and organizations that offer support to arts presenters. In 2018–2019, through the Fund, dozens of communities gained access to a wealth and variety of artistic experiences offered by their cultural organizations and institutions. For example:

Théâtre la Seizième increased its French-language theatre offerings for Vancouver-area audiences.
In Saskatchewan, the Fund enabled the Conseil culturel fransaskois to develop programming for French language performance network“360°SK”.
In Quebec, Mainline Theatre increased its outreach activities, which are essential for the English-language theatre community.
Lastly, in the Atlantic region, no fewer than 28 events and organizations received financial support, including the Petite Église arts centre in Edmunston, the Festival acadien de Clare and the Coopérative de développement culturel et patrimonial de Mont-Carmel.

The Fund also helps promote the talents of Canadian artists abroad. For example, in January 2019, the Réseau Ontario des Arts de la scène, as part of Canada’s Creative Export Strategy, brought a delegation of presenters from France, Belgium and the United States to the Contact ontarois event, held in Ottawa.

In March 2019, the federal government announced in the Budget that the Fund would receive an additional $16 million over two years, starting in 2019–2020.

In film, Telefilm Canada broke new ground by contributing to the creation of a new professional development program entitled Écriture scénaristique: écrire pour la télévision, le cinéma et le Web [Script writing: Writing for television, film and the Web]. This new activity was organized in collaboration with Unis TV, TV5, the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Université de Moncton and Ici Radio-Canada Acadie.

Other initiatives undoubtedly contribute to the emergence of artistic vocations. Raconte-moi ta francophonie is a project launched by the NFB, in collaboration with New Brunswick’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Global Affairs Canada and the Conference of Ministers of Education of the States and Governments of La Francophonie (CONFEMEN). First, in 2018, a team from the NFB Media School aided 19 students from Népisiguit high school in the production of digital short stories, each about two minutes long, using accessible equipment, standard software and a learning module. The outcome of their efforts was presented at the 58th session of the CONFEMEN ministerial meeting in Bathurst in May. Following the presentation, the partners agreed to make Raconte-moi ta francophonie an international challenge, to be launched in all member countries in fall 2019.

Along the same lines, but this time targeting emerging Anglophone, Allophone and Indigenous filmmakers from Quebec and Nunavik, the NFB’s Quebec Atlantic Studio launched a call for applications for its new project Reimagining My Quebec. In December 2018, the four persons selected began work on a 15-minute film, expected to be completed in late 2019. In addition to receiving approximately $15,000 in writer and director fees, each participant benefits from the Board’s technical expertise and state-of-the-art equipment, as well as an individual marketing strategy that will help their work reach its audiences.

In the 2018 Fall Economic Update, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $14.6 million over five years starting in 2019-2020 to support the creation, development and launch of a French-language digital platform bringing together public broadcasters that are members of TV5MONDE. The free digital platform, which will be called TV5MONDEplus, will allow the world to discover French-language content from TV5MONDE and its partner public broadcasters, including Canada. The development of the platform will increase the online presence of French-language content and provide increased visibility for Canadian content and additional broadcasting opportunities for Canadian artists and producers. It will also increase discoverability and make it easier for people all around the world to access French-language and Canadian programming worldwide. It is expected to launch in the fall of 2020.

Lastly, in music, Canadian Heritage is continuing the very popular Music Showcases program for community- based artists. In 2018–2019, more than 415 artists took part in some 736 music showcases at regional, national and international events, in addition to participating in several tours. Many of the music showcases receiving support included a digital promotion component.

Showcasing talent and development

Through all its programs, the National Arts Centre actively contributes to both the promotion of talent and the development of young artists from the communities.

In March 2019, on World Theatre Day, the Centre’s French Theatre joined forces with Théâtre du Trillium to offer nine performances of the daring play Ce qu’on attend de moi, a hybrid work that enlists the codes of documentary and experimental film, the result of a collaboration between Quebec native Philippe Cyr and French speaking Saskatchewan native Gilles Poulin Denis.
Throughout the year, Francophone musicians from the NAC Orchestra led a number of workshops and master classes tailored to adult and student groups.
As part of the Musical Adventures in my School initiative, ensembles involving Orchestra musicians offered interactive activities and 30-minute concerts in 18 Francophone and French immersion schools in Ontario and Gatineau.

The Canada Council for the Arts supported the creation of a co-production, by Moncton’s Satellite Theatre and the United Kingdom’s Grafted Cede, of a bilingual show entitled The Limits of Possible Noise / Les limites du bruit possible. Sixteen Acadian, Quebec and British artists joined talents to present this work, which uses physical theatre, dance, puppetry and masked play. Satellite Theatre received $30,000 through the Arts Abroad program for this performance, which was presented in Moncton and Quebec. A tour in the United Kingdom is planned for May–June 2019.

Through its Support to Organizations program, the Canada Book Fund administered by Canadian Heritage supported eight organizations involved in the marketing and promotion of books by authors from the communities.

The Pop-Up Book Fair in Montreal and the Montreal Review of Books published by the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec promoted the visibility of English language authors and publishers in Quebec.
Organizations such as the Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury, the Salon du livre de Toronto, the Salon du livre de Dieppe, the Salon du livre d’Edmundston and the Salon du livre de la Péninsule acadienne all promoted increased knowledge—or discovery—of Franco Canadian literature to communities in various regions across Canada. Together, they attracted tens of thousands of visitors.

Accessibility of heritage – preserving moments in time

In 2018–2019, Canadian Heritage’s Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program funded more than 80 projects from the communities that brought Canadians together to celebrate their talents and their belonging in their own language. Another program, the Legacy Fund, provided support for projects designed to impact on communities for years to come:

A monument representing the ideal family of the past, present and future was erected as part of the 125th anniversary festivities in Blondeau Falls, in eastern Ontario. This project involved 35 artisans and heritage specialists, eight local partners and 35 volunteers, that, together, spent over 4,300 hours on its completion.
Restoration and transformation work was completed on Joseph Doiron Heritage House in Dieppe, New Brunswick, to make it a gathering place for ongoing cultural programming. This heritage site preserves the legacy of Acadian farmer Joseph Doiron and his family, who played a significant role in this Acadian community.

Education continues to be an important part of museums’ activities, and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights has made it a priority. In 2018–2019, the Museum hosted no fewer than 83 Francophone groups representing a total of 3,071 students at all levels from French and immersion schools. These students accounted for nearly 13% of all students who visited the Museum during the year. The Museum identified the following success factors contributing to these results: hiring bilingual staff in nearly 90% of the positions requiring direct contact with the public, creating a bilingual mobile application to facilitate self-guided tours, and collaborating closely with teachers and Manitoba’s Bureau de l’éducation française.

Given the importance of having bilingual staff to greet visitors, Canadian Heritage also provided financial support for the creation of summer jobs for young people from the communities in various museums and other cultural sites across the country. In 2018–2019, the Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations program therefore contributed to the creation of 71 summer jobs and 12 internships at sites such as the Old Jail Museum in l’Orignal, Ontario, the Eastern Townships Resource Centre in Sherbrooke, and the Louise-et-Reuben Cohen Art Gallery in New Brunswick.

Other programs target individuals who may not be able to visit our sites in person to learn about our history. The Virtual Museum of Canada is an investment program managed by the Canadian Museum of History that addresses this issue by helping museums and heritage organizations develop bilingual virtual exhibits and various online products. In 2018–2019, it posted online the story of the connection that Canada’s very first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and his family had to their summer residence at Villa Les Rochers, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, not far from Rivière- du-Loup. Visitors taking the virtual tour can learn about not only the architecture of that time, but also various parts of Macdonald’s life away from his responsibilities in Canada’s capital, works of art created by his wife, Lady Agnes, and her commitment to the local French-speaking community. A documentary produced by the non profit organization Canadian Heritage of Quebec, which now owns the site, is accessible to all Canadians and to visitors from around the world.

Institutional frameworks and infrastructure

Many of the initiatives described above would not have been possible without umbrella agreements or licences, which provide a framework for collaboration among local stakeholders as well as the work accomplished.

In August 2018, the CRTC renewed the licence and mandatory distribution order for TV5 and UNIS TV services, first granted in 2013, until 2023. After analysis, the Commission concluded that these complementary services remain of exceptional importance in the Canadian broadcasting system and require financial support. TV5 provides Francophone communities with a gateway to the television programming of the international Francophonie, but also offers an opportunity for Francophone viewers around the world to learn more about the Canadian Francophonie. UNIS TV, whose programming reflects the diversity of the Canadian Francophonie, provides Francophone producers, creators, artists and technicians across Canada with the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills, and share their ideas and concerns.

On another level, Canadian Heritage plays an equally pivotal role through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. This Fund contributes to improving the physical conditions that foster innovation in arts, heritage and creation. This year, the activities supported by the Fund included:

The completion of a feasibility study for a cultural space by the La Ronde Cultural Centre in Timmins, Ontario
The renovation and acquisition of specialized equipment by the Morrin Centre in Québec city, a building that plays a central role in the cultural life of Quebec’s English-speaking community
The renovation of the Sister’s Dream School Museum by the Mainland Heritage Committee Corporation in Newfoundland and Labrador, a museum that offers a unique perspective of the Francophone roots of the La Grand’Terre community.

2.5 Increasing Francophone immigration

In 1971, Francophones in minority communities outside Quebec represented 6.1% of the population. By 2016, this percentage had declined to 3.8%, dropping below 4% for the first time. In the Action Plan 2018–2023, the Government set an objective to stabilize this proportion at 4% by supporting a strong, stable and resilient Canadian Francophonie. To make this happen, immigration will play a decisive role in the vitality of communities, in cooperation with the provinces and territories. The Action Plan 2018–2023 targets an increase in the proportion of Francophone immigrants outside Quebec, to reach 4.4% of all immigrants by 2023. This year, while continuing to roll out its recurring programs, IRCC launched new programs made possible by funding contained in the Action Plan 2018–2023. The Department also finalized the consultations that led to the publication of a new Francophone Immigration Strategy.

**Figure 7. Francophone Immigration Strategy**

Launch of the new Francophone Immigration Strategy

Throughout the year, following an initial series of consultations, IRCC continued its efforts to prepare a new Francophone Immigration Strategy. Joint planning exercises were held as part of nine Francophone regional summits which took place from August to October 2018. These events brought together close to 350 stakeholders from community organizations, representatives of all levels of government, members of the Francophone Immigration Networks and Anglophone partners specific to each region. Through these consultations, IRCC was able to gather ideas from the communities and better understand the specific needs of each region in order to better attract newcomers and integrate them into their host communities.

Working today and preparing for the future

The Service Delivery Improvement Program at IRCC aims to test new service delivery models, identify what works best and thereby increase the effectiveness of the Settlement Program. It represents a dedicated source of funding of over $30 million per year. In 2018–2019, the program funded close to 100 regional projects in various fields. Its priorities include coming up with new ways to help newcomers learn English or French. The initiatives supported include the following:

The Guide and Training for the Integration of Newcomers and Francophiles in our Community, a project carried out by the Coopérative d’intégration francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, led to the development of a reference document that will provide useful information to various categories of stakeholders involved in the settlement of immigrants.
The project Développement des connaissances et de la capacité d’apprentissage des langues en ligne en milieu de travail et aider les clients à faire la transition vers le marché du travail carried out by Colleges Ontario will boost knowledge and capacity for online language learning in the workplace.
The project Recherche sur l’accès aux services d’établissement en français et leur utilisation par les immigrants francophones en C.-B. will study access to and use of services by Francophone newcomers. The project is being carried out by the Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique.

Promotion and recruitment activities in Canada

Other efforts have been made to better match the needs and expectations of communities with Francophone candidates for immigration from different countries. Throughout the year, officers from IRCC’s Paris, Tunis, Rabat and Bucharest offices conducted liaison tours in seven Canadian provinces and one territory. The initiative was carried out in partnership with the FCFA, the RDÉE and several local Francophone immigration networks. One of the benefits of these tours was that IRCC was able to survey the views of stakeholders in the field (employers, occupational sector councils, municipalities, stakeholder organizations, chambers of commerce) on local and regional labour market needs. Meetings with employers also provided an opportunity to promote the added value of Francophone immigrants from different regions of the world, as well as recruitment mechanisms abroad that facilitate their hiring, including on a temporary basis.

FPT immigration action plan

With respect to immigration, 2018–2019 marked the beginning of the new Federal/Provincial/Territorial Action Plan for Increasing Francophone Immigration Outside of Quebec. This Action Plan outlines the concrete actions that will be taken to attract, integrate and retain Francophone immigrants in Francophone minority communities. It centres on three strategies for collaboration: championing Francophone immigration; collaborating on the areas of employment, accessible services and inclusive communities; and reporting on progress. Throughout the year, the parties worked to complete their work plan, which details the actions they intend to carry out by 2023.

3. Strengthening access to services

Committed to their development, communities also need services accessible in their language of choice and equal in quality to the services offered in the language of the majority. Whether related to health, education or justice, the needs and expectations can vary across provinces, territories, or even parts of the country. The amendments to the Official Languages Regulations tabled in Parliament by the government in October 2018 will also better address these needs. The commitments set out in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023 confirm the government’s willingness to allocate additional resources for services to communities.

Section 3 provides an overview of various projects implemented in the following broad areas:

3.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiative
3.2 Support for minority language education
3.3 Improving access to justice
3.4 Access to healthcare and social services in the minority language
3.5 Agreements with the provincesand territories regarding French-language services

3.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives

**Figure 8. Strengthening Access to Services: New Initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023**

The additional funding injected into the Action Plan 2018–2023 made it possible for several federal institutions to improve various services offered to communities, but also to offer new services in the first year of its implementation, for example:

The Action Plan 2018–2023 injects $20 million over five years in early learning and child care in French outside of Quebec. In 2018–2019, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) made a contribution of $950,000 to the Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité Canada (RDÉE), which forged a tripartite alliance with the Commission nationale des parents francophones (CNPF) and the Association des collèges et universités francophones du Canada (ACUFC). As a first step, the RDÉE produced a report on the status of Francophone early childhood care in Canada. In November, Alliance partners from across the country held a day-long working session in Gatineau. Led by the RDÉE, they launched a series of projects that will help entrepreneurs open more daycare centres and provide more child care services in French across the country.
Justice Canada undertook to implement a new activity for the translation of judgments and other legal texts. This initiative will help increase the legal information available to communities in both official languages. The objective is to translate 125 judgments per year.
Health Canada received $5 million over five years to expand the foundations of and services offered under its Official Languages Health Program. Five new academic institutions in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario joined the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne—health component, and developed new targeted programs for its Consortium national de formation en santé, in areas such as gerontology, dementia and cognitive health, and practical nursing. The first student recruitment activities were launched.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) received a new investment of $10 million over five years to support vulnerable families and young children in communities across Canada. In late 2018, PHAC held a series of nine face-to-face consultation sessions across the country, followed by online consultations and a videoconference that, in total, reached more than 150 stakeholders. Their feedback was instrumental in developing a new program and creating the call for proposals that began in spring 2019.

3.2 Support for minority language education

Education agreements

The education agreements between the federal government and its provincial and territorial counterparts expired on March 31, 2018. By mutual agreement, the parties decided to extend the agreements for one year, until March 31, 2019. Negotiations on the new Protocol for Agreements on Minority Language Education and Second Language Learning continued. The Protocol and the bilateral agreements it covers could, for instance, include new clauses on reporting and on regular consultations with community stakeholders.

In 2018–2019, PCH disbursed just over $183 million under its initiatives to support minority language education, including just over $178 million transfered to the provinces and territories, through bilateral agreements and projects, to support the considerable efforts made by these administrations in minority language education. Financial support is provided at all school levels covering the continuum of education, from pre-school to post-secondary:

Support of $3 million will enable Simon Fraser University to boost the course and program offerings of the Office of Francophone and Francophile Affairs, therefore helping overcome barriers to access to French-language education in British Columbia.
A contribution of $500,000 was made to enable the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean to strengthen its learning and research environment, increase the number of students enrolled by creating a comprehensive Web strategy, and facilitate access to programs for Francophone students and French second-language learners.
Saskatchewan’s French-language postsecondary education program received $1.2 million to increase course offerings, student services and professional development opportunities in French at La Cité; to develop new elective courses in French for the education program in order to meet the growing number of applications for the bachelor’s degree; and to develop new courses, revise language training programs and continue offering the welding technician program at Collège Mathieu.
A contribution of $265,000 was awarded to Prince Edward Island to support the Collège de l’Île and the University of Prince Edward Island in the co-creation of two new bilingual postsecondary programs at the bachelor’s level and the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in French Language, a unique joint university and college project, the first of its kind in Canada.
The Collège nordique francophone in the Northwest Territories will receive $300,000 to diversify language training by offering language and cultural activities outside the classroom and language skills assessment services, and to expand the range of postsecondary programs by exploring the possibility of recruiting international students.
Funding of $941,892 will allow Ontario to encourage more Francophone graduates to enrol in the province’s six Francophone or bilingual post-secondary institutions (La Cité, Collège Boréal, Université Saint-Paul, University of Sudbury, Dominican University College and Université de Hearst) and to make new college and university programs available to Ontarians and Canadians in French.
In Quebec, $134,100 was granted to better identify the needs of at-risk students and to implement effective strategies to support their cognitive and oral development. The funding will also make it possible to organize, in May 2019, a summit on the early intervention approach chosen in partnership with the Joyful Literacy Interventions team to train and provide ongoing support to K-2 teachers in Quebec, educational staff and administrators from the nine English-language school boards, as well as beginning teachers from partner universities.
A modest contribution of $30,000 will enable Prince Edward Island’s French-language schools to create a digital community, which will make it possible to develop a sharing platform through which students of these schools can produce, share and consume French-language programming that they have created themselves. This project includes the purchase of equipment and the training necessary to use it. The project is designed to allow for potential expansion of the uses of the new platform.

Learning science in your own language

The PromoScience Program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) supports organizations that work with young Canadians to help them understand science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Eight of the recipients target communities:

PromoScience funds enable the UNESCO World Geopark in Percé to offer educational workshops on the geology, ecology and biology of the region to schools in English speaking communities such as Belle-Anse, Douglastown and New Carlisle.
In Ottawa, Relay Education can now offer its new Renewable Energy 101 workshop to Francophone students. They learn, for example, how to measure temperature differences before and after various chemical reactions, and how to use modular wind turbine blades, solar panels and water turbines.

New partnerships in Manitoba for the translation bureau

In January 2019, the Translation Bureau of Public Services and Procurement Canada signed two new partnership agreements, one with the Association of Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters of Manitoba (ATIM) and the other with the Université de Saint- Boniface. The former provides ATIM members with access to an annual corpus of approximately 56,000 words (English-French and French-English), as well as access to unclassified original and translated documents. The latter laid the groundwork for an academic terminology project that was to start in September: the university receives support from a terminologist responsible for academic projects, who provides feedback to the students. Together, these projects contribute to enhancing local skills and training future translators.

3.3 Improving access to justice

Increased access to justice in English for Quebec communities

On April 20, 2018, with support from Justice Canada, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) held a forum entitled No Justice Without Access which marked a turning point in the development of its Access to Justice in English in Quebec initiative. The participants— legal experts, lawyers and community leaders— identified three priority areas for action: administrative justice, youth and family affairs, and seniors. Working committees were created, and their members developed an Action Plan. As a result of this project, communities in all regions of Quebec will gain a better understanding of the justice system, cooperation among the players in the system will be enhanced, and communities will improve their ability to take action, all of which will mean improved access to justice for members of Quebec’s English-speaking community.

A partner for jurisource

Jurisource.ca is the only website in the world to offer thousands of free legal and terminology resources in French for professionals working in Canada’s common law provinces and territories. Thousands of people visit the site every month, and the number of visits keeps rising. The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) has been a major partner and contributor to this resource for several years. The significance of its contribution is due in particular to the fact that it is the only partner specializing in areas such as drug trafficking or regulatory crimes (corruption, pollution, immigration, etc.). The PPSC shares with Jurisource its prosecution policies, as well as weekly updates of its lexicon, produced by its own legal translators.

3.4 Access to health care and social services in the minority language

Health Canada supports transformative initiatives

Throughout the year, several activities funded by Health Canada through its Official Languages Health Program facilitated access to health care and services for communities. To give just a few examples:

In Nunavut, the Table de concertation du Partenariat Communauté en santé was involved in consultations on the preliminary results of a feasibility study for the development of a bilingual health centre.
The Réseau Santé Albertain joined forces with Canadian Volunteers United in Action to offer a browser service to Francophones in Alberta. As many as 214 people took advantage of this opportunity to book medical appointments or obtain interpretation services. The work of the Réseau contributed to optimizing the response from the health system to the needs of those patients.
Among the initiatives carried out in British Columbia, Résosanté Colombie-Britannique worked with La Boussole and the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre to develop free training in French on the prevention of opioid overdoses and the use of naloxone kits.
In Quebec, the Official Languages Health Program supported several activities through the Community Health and Social Services Network and McGill University. For example, the Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders was able to produce and disseminate a regional profile on seniors in the English-speaking community of the Magdalen Islands so that health partners could better adapt the services they provide to them. McGill University offered scholarships to a total of 29 candidates from 14 different community networks: after completing their studies, the graduates commit to working in the regions in an institution of the health and social services network for at least one year.

New bilingual training program at the University of Regina

Given the rural exodus and the aging population, the demand for health care in French in Saskatchewan is growing. WD provided a contribution of $135,785 to the Cité universitaire francophone at the University of Regina to support the creation of a new bilingual nursing program.

The funding was used to purchase equipment and educational resources in French. In the first year, the Cité accepted 16 new students who will graduate in three years. A new cohort of students will be accepted each year and will increase the number of bilingual workers capable of providing health care in French in the province. This initiative has been a priority of Saskatchewan’s French speaking community for the past ten years.

Healing and prevention

In 2018–2019, several institutions continued their important work to combat gender-based violence and prevent youth crime.

The Department for Women and Gender Equality, through its Gender-Based Violence Funding Program, assisted several organizations that work with women living in official language communities:

The Department supported a project of the Réseau des services pour victimes de violences du Nouveau- Brunswick, which promotes social and systemic change with a view to achieving gender equality. The communities are actively involved in this project across the province.
In the Yukon, the organization EssentiElles, which works with Francophone women, conducts several campaigns on themes such as the elimination of gender-based violence, consent and sexual assault. The support from the Department also enabled it to continue the work it started in collaboration with Inform’Elles, an organization that works with Francophone women in British Columbia. Both organizations want to improve access to intervention and support services for women from diverse sociocultural backgrounds and ensure that these services are better adapted to those women’s realities.

Prevention is also an important part of the work being done by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to combat gender-based violence and bullying. For example, in 2018–2019, in the Atlantic region alone, its officers made more than 140 presentations to schools, community organizations or local media to educate among young people in the communities on issues such as cyberbullying and sexism, healthy sexuality and consent, LGBTQ laws, stereotypes and discrimination.

3.5 Agreements with the provinces and territories on French language services

Intergovernmental cooperation on minority language services aims to support the efforts of provincial and territorial governments to offer provincial, territorial and municipal services in the language of minority communities, as well as to establish and maintain the necessary infrastructure. The goals and objectives of each cooperation agreement may differ depending on the priorities of eligible recipients.

Canadian Heritage allocates $9.6 million per year to provincial governments through federal–provincial service agreements. In 2018–2019, negotiations that began the previous year resulted in the signing of ten agreements, specifically, agreements with eight provinces in effect until 2022–2023, a two-year extension of the 2013–2018 agreement with Alberta, and a one-year agreement with Quebec (2018–2019). Discussions are under way to renew the latter two agreements until 2022–2023.

With respect to French-language service in the North, agreements with the territories are in place for 2016–2020 and were enhanced in December 2017 with the announcement of new funding of up to $12 million per year. Since 2018–2019, with this enhancement, Canadian Heritage has allocated $17.1 million per year to the three territorial governments for French-language services.

In total, PCH will allocate $26.7 million per year, or $133.5 million over five years (2018–2023), to bilateral agreements with the provinces and territories for services in the minority language.

4. Promotion of official languages

Promoting the presence of two strong languages, English and French, in Canada reinforces the official languages as a pillars of our social contract. This section presents some examples of initiatives that federal institutions undertook in 2018–2019 to celebrate our official languages and help Anglophones and Francophones in Canada get to know one another better.

The start of implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023, here again, resulted in the enhancement of many existing activities and the launch of new initiatives. That said, several federal institutions also continued their work, with renewed energy. They worked closely with communities and their representatives every day to recognize and promote the richness and benefits of Canada’s linguistic duality, both at home and abroad.

Section 4 of this report therefore focuses on the following:

4.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives
4.2 Promotion of linguistic duality abroad
4.3 Promotion of linguistic duality in Canada

4.1 Implementation of the new Action Plan 2018–2023 initiatives

**Figure 9. Promotion of Official Languages: New Initiatives in the Action Plan 2018–2023**

In the Action Plan 2018–2023, the government set an objective to increase the national bilingualism rate from 17.9% to 20% by 2036, mainly through an increase in the bilingualism rate of Anglophones outside Quebec from 6.8% to 9%. The 2018–2019 year saw the launch of several new initiatives, including the hiring of new teachers and the enhancement of various existing programs. Together, these initiatives are contributing to the realization of this ambitious goal:

Work began on the implementation of the new Bursary Program to encourage English students to pursue post-secondary studies in their second official language. The process of identifying a partner responsible for program implementation was launched. It is anticipated that the first bursaries, valued at $3,000 each, will be awarded for the 2020–2021 academic year.
The Action Plan 2018–2023 provides for the injection of $2.5 million over five years to bolster the bilingual nature of Canada’s capital. Over the course of the year, efforts were made to survey the various partners to discuss the best approach for putting this funding in place, and a call for proposals went out to determine who will be responsible for implementing this new program starting in the fall of 2019, benefitting businesses and community organizations that will carry out projects to support the vitality and economic development of the Francophone community and bring official-language communities closer together.
Work began on the creation of a new Canadian cultural program to promote e-learning and retention of English and French as a second language. Although the year was spent working on the preliminary stages of implementation, this new program already has a name: it will be called the Mauril, in honour of the late Mauril Bélanger, Member of Parliament for Ottawa– Vanier, a strong champion of official languages who passed away in 2016. This program will be implemented by CBC/Radio-Canada. The new platform will provide access to a virtual learning environment, material based on current events and Canadian artistic and cultural content, and educational resources to help learners move from beginner to advanced level. The program will be available for free online or through mobile applications.

4.2 Promotion of linguistic duality abroad

For several years now, to mark International Day of la Francophonie, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has funded activities organized by its diplomatic and consular network to recognize Canada’s Francophone character. Stakeholders from official language communities across Canada have been involved in various cultural and educational activities. In 2018–2019, collaboration among multiple embassies increased the impact of their various projects more than ever before.

Canadian missions abroad also carried out various initiatives to promote Canada’s bilingual nature:

The Canadian Embassy in Germany, in partnership with the Quebec Delegation and the Embassy of Benin, co-chaired the initiatives of the German network for the Francophonie in Berlin until fall 2018.
The Canadian Embassy in Serbia approached North Macedonia to join the International Association of Language Commissioners and potentially participate in its sixth annual meeting in June 2019 in Toronto.
In 2018, the EduCanada Fair organized by the Canadian Embassy in Côte d’Ivoire welcomed 15 Francophone institutions from outside Quebec and the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne.

4.3 Promotion of linguistic duality in Canada

Support for second language learning

**Figure 10. Increase in the number of enrolments in French immersion programs offered outside Quebec since 2003**

Year	Number of enrolments in French immersion programs offered outside Quebec
2003-2004	282,837
2004-2005	288,970
2005-2006	295,197
2006-2007	300,464
2007-2008	311,115
2008-2009	317,662
2009-2010	328,716
2010-2011	341,694
2011-2012	356,580
2012-2013	372,879
2013-2014	392,430
2014-2015	409,899
2015-2016	428,619
2016-2017	449,769
2017-2018	463,119

The extension to March 31, 2019, of education agreements with the provinces and territories (see 3.2) also allowed for the extension of programs under the Second Language Learning component. To that end, in 2018–2019 PCH disbursed almost $115 million. The component also includes a Complementary Fund that supports various projects addressing very specific needs:

An amount of $76,000 was provided to create a minor and a certificate in French as a second language at the University of New Brunswick, accessible to non-Francophone Canadians. These courses were designed based on the guidelines set out in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which aids in the development of communication skills without reference to a particular language or audience. The project adapts this approach for Canadians so that students can learn about aspects of both Canadian history and culture.
To improve learning retention, a Grade 10 post- intensive French class was offered at Diamond Jenness Secondary School in Hay River, Northwest Territories, to accept students from the Grade 9 class created the previous year. The project, which is supported by a grant of $58,800, includes training for administrators and teachers of post-intensive French, as well as the purchase of appropriate resources and tools to assess the students’ progress.

The creation of a National Table on French as a Second Language was explored with provincial and territorial governments and key stakeholders in the area of French second-language learning, including Canadian Parents for French, the Canadian Association of Immersion Professionals, the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers and French for the Future. The purpose of this Table would be to discuss common issues; to facilitate the sharing of information, expertise, winning practices and solutions; and to promote cooperation and collaboration among members.

The Odyssey program reaches a major milestone: In November 2018, the Odyssey program celebrated its 45th anniversary! Formerly known as the Official Languages Monitors Program (OLMP), Odyssey was established in 1973 to promote Canada’s two official languages and the culture they convey by encouraging young people across the country to share their language and culture with students in a region other than their own. Since its inception, the program has had more than 36,000 participants.

Odyssey is a program funded by Canadian Heritage and administered by the Council of Ministers of Education (Canada). It offers a nine-month paid work experience to participants, who work as language monitors in the classroom to help students improve their oral communication skills in their second official language. In 2018–2019, 245 university students took advantage of this opportunity to gain new work experience while discovering another region of Canada. The additional $3.5 million provided under the Action Plan 2018–2023 made it possible to increase the participants’ pay from $18,000 to $25,000.

Enhancement of intensive immersion program explore

In 2018–2019, through the Explore intensive immersion program, no fewer than 5,901 young Francophones were given an opportunity, over five weeks, to develop their skills in their second official language by discovering another region of Canada. Funded by Canadian Heritage, the program is administered by the Council of Ministers of Education (Canada). The bursary paid to post- secondary institutions covers course materials, meals and accommodation. The training program is complemented by numerous cultural activities, customized for individuals 16 to 17 years of age. In 2018–2019, the additional funds injected by the Action Plan 2018–2023 made it possible to increase the amount of these bursaries from $2,200 to $2,800.

Youth, innovation and official languages

In 2018–2019, Canadian Heritage organized or participated in the organization of two programming marathons (hackathons) that mobilized young Canadians from various fields in partnership with community organizations and federal institutions. In two days, the participants had to create a mobile or Web application that offered a solution to official languages issues and challenges in their communities. In addition to promoting official languages and fostering closer relationships between young people from the two language communities, these events enabled the participants to test their knowledge and connect with potential employers in their own communities. Efforts were made to continue developing certain prototypes with various partners.

Organized by Concordia University on January 26 and 27, 2019, in Montréal, the ConUHacks Hackathon brought together close to 100 young Anglophones and Anglophiles from high schools, CEGEPs and universities in Quebec and neighbouring provinces. In two days, they developed more than 30 functional prototypes! The winning project, entitled “Immersion VR”, offers immersive language training through the use of virtual reality goggles that enable the user to identify objects in real time in both official languages.
In Edmonton, on March 30 and 31, 2019, roughly 20 young Francophones and Francophiles participated in the FrancoLab 2019 Innovation Lab, organized by the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean and a dozen Francophone organizations in Alberta and neighbouring provinces. The winning team developed the prototype “Alberta en français”, a platform that offers a list of companies providing services in French

The Canada Council for the Arts changes its policies to benefit community creators

The Public Lending Right (PLR) program of the Canada Council for the Arts sends yearly payments to authors and translators whose works are in Canada’s public libraries. In 2018–2019, the Commission that oversees the program changed its sampling techniques to better identify French-language titles outside Quebec, New Brunswick and the Ottawa public library system, and English-language titles in Quebec. In concrete terms, this means, for example, that the works of a Francophone writer in Edmonton or an Anglophone translator in Montréal are now considered and compensated by the PLR program. A strategic investment of additional funding enabled the Council to increase payments to authors and translators by more than 15%. Direct payment to authors working in both official languages across the country has increased to over $12 million.

An increasingly popular language portal

**Figure 11. Some figures on the popularity of the Language Portal of Canada (2018-2019)**

The Language Portal of Canada offers all Canadians a wide range of free writing tools, games and Government of Canada resources on various aspects of official languages. Users seeking advice on grammar, spelling and punctuation, and solutions for difficult points of English and French can trust the tools designed by language experts. Use of the Portal, managed by the Translation Bureau (PSPC), continues to increase year after year.

In 2018–2019, to help Canadians better communicate in both official languages, the Portal team created 3,332 new items, including games, articles, blog posts and social media messages. During the year, the team also implemented an extensive three-pronged awareness campaign. It increased its number of ambassadors by 39% compared to 2017–2018; there are now 575 individuals who regularly contribute to the site’s outreach. Team members also carried out 64 outreach activities, including setting up booths enabling them to meet tens of thousands of people, and providing training workshops on the use of Portal resources to more than 850 participants. The third component consisted of an advertising campaign using email and social media. As a result of these efforts, the number of page views in the Portal and its writing tools reached 6.8 million, a record since its launch in 2009.

Getting to know one another better

Every year, Canadian Heritage provides financial support to many projects that enable members of one community to discover or get to know representatives of the other community in their province or territory. This year, the following projects were funded:

The Department contributed to the creation and circulation of a travelling exhibition on the contribution of Franco Manitoban architect Étienne Gaboury to building the architectural heritage of Manitoba’s Francophone and Métis communities. The bilingual travelling exhibition and its availability on the Web made it possible to raise public awareness of the architectural and heritage legacy of French Manitoba and Étienne Gaboury’s contribution to the evolution of Manitoba’s Francophonie.
Implemented by the English-Language Arts Network, the Connecting the Unconnected project mobilized the province’s entire English-language cultural community. Initially, it led to a series of consultations involving some 500 artists and cultural workers from across Quebec, many of whom had not previously been reached by existing groups. Similarly, with additional funding, the Quebec Writer’s Federation, the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec and the Salon du livre de Montréal 2018 were able to organize two public reading sessions featuring 25 English-language authors during the Salon. This pilot project gave visibility to writers from Anglophone communities throughout this prestigious literary event, while contributing to the promotion of both official languages. Lastly, in 2017–2018 (the most recent years for which data are available), through the Exchanges Canada Program, more than 3,300 young people had the opportunity to visit a community in another region of Canada and, subsequently, to welcome young people from the region they had previously visited to their community.

Festive events and gatherings

In 2018–2019, through various programs, Canadian Heritage supported and made possible hundreds of festive events that brought communities together and enabled them to connect with and have a better understanding of one another:

The Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program funded no fewer than 726 festivals in 435 communities across Canada. For example, it supported the Heritage Lower Saint Lawrence organization, which organized Metis 200, the commemoration of 200 years of history of the Métis- sur-Mer community. All celebrations were fully bilingual and focused on sharing and mixing cultures, with priority given to offering events in both official languages. Over 80 activities were organized involving more than 90 local artists from both linguistic communities and more than 250 volunteers from the community and surrounding communities.
Every June 24, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day is a major festive occasion for all Francophones and Francophiles across Canada. In 2018–2019, the Celebrate Canada component of the Department’s Celebrations and Commemorations program funded over 80 events marking this occasion across the country.
On February 15, 2019, National Flag of Canada Day, young people from across the country gathered at the Canadian Museum of Nature to create a giant human flag. The national bilingual campaign We are the Flag / Le drapeau c’est nous, which invited participants to post a photo of themselves with the Canadian flag online, got more than 400,000 reactions on Facebook, thereby promoting Canada’s linguistic duality.

Conclusion

The 2018–2019 year was an eventful one during which official languages gained visibility in the public sphere.

In addition to the numerous recurring activities carried out by the communities, more than ever before the year saw the mobilization of all stakeholders— mobilization surrounding the long awaited initiative to amend the Official Languages Regulations; mobilization surrounding the preparations for the review of the Act itself; and mobilization surrounding the preparations for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Act.

Year one of the implementation of the Action Plan 2018–2023 also provided an opportunity for a historic commitment to be made. The core funding granted in year one enabled those who represent the communities in all consultation forums to make their voices better heard and to fully contribute to defining the initiatives in relation to their needs. Some initiatives have begun to show initial results. These participatory approaches laid the groundwork for new programs and broadened the scope of existing initiatives. The results of these contributions will be the subject of the next annual report. Many of the initiatives made possible by the Action Plan 2018–2023 will gain momentum throughout the second year of its implementation.

Everyone is aware that the agenda for the coming year will be full and that federal institutions will be fully committed to the development of communities, the delivery of services that meet their needs in the official language of their choice, and support for linguistic duality across the country. The Department will continue to work closely with the communities to help them achieve their goals. In the same spirit, the coming into force of the new federal/provincial/territorial agreements will set new foundations for collaboration among the various levels of government for the well-being of the communities.

The process of modernizing the Act will take significant steps forward. This will also be an opportunity to review the agreement with the provinces and territories to support education in the official language of the minority. And also to remember the best moments of the World Acadian Congress! For the first time, the event was held—in part—on Prince Edward Island, a sign, if one were needed, of the remarkable vitality of the province’s Francophone and Acadian community. To be continued!

Appendix 1: 2018-2019 Summary of government investments in official languages (including initiatives of Action Plan 2018–2023)

Table 2. 2018-2019 Summary of government investments in official languages (including initiatives of Action Plan 2018–2023)
Initiatives	Total allocated from 2018 to 2023 (in dollars)	Planned Spending 2018-2019 (in dollars)	Actual Spending 2018-2019 (in dollars)
Canadian Heritage – historical base
Minority-language education (federal-provincial-territorial agreements)	805,100,000	157,251,357	162,836,521
Cooperation with the non-governmental sector (minority-language organizations)	8,750,000	1,750,000	1,750,000
Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority-Languages Services (federal-provincial-territorial agreements)	81,000,000	14,895,500	14,895,500
Cooperation with the community sector (minority-language organizations)	159,500,000	31,888,550	32,658,800
Strategic funds	22,500,000	4,800,000	2,479,937
Community Cultural Action Fund	10,000,000	2,000,000	1,939,682
Support for second-language learning (federal-provincial-territorial agreements)	448,000,000	89,467,838	88,113,435
Cooperation with the non-governmental sector (second-language organizations)	4,850,000	975,000	909,420
Summer language bursaries (Explore, Destination Clic)	84,500,000	16,923,407	13,932,738
Official-language monitors (Odyssey)	35,500,000	7,114,398	6,206,585
Promotion of linguistic duality (appreciation and rapprochement)	18,500,000	3,700,000	3,499,258
Promotion of bilingual services in the voluntary sector	1,100,000	212,571	253,100
Support for interpretation and translation	2,500,000	500,000	416,005
Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages	18,630,000	3,725,000	3,589,844
Exchanges Canada (official-language initiative)	11,250,000	2,250,000	2,250,000
Music Showcases Program for Artists from official-language minority communities	5,750,000	1,150,000	1,150,000
National Translation Program for Book Publishing	4,000,000	800,000	800,000
Canadian Heritage – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023^{Footnote 1}
Additional funding for community organizations	57,370,000	6,725,000	6,547,269
Enhancement of the Community Cultural Action Fund^{Footnote 2}	11,160,000	0	127,018
Funding for Quebec English-speaking communities^{Footnote 3}	5,280,000	0	0
Strengthening community media and radio (Strategic support & Ensuring succession)^{Footnote 4}	14,530,000	1,500,000	1,895,283
Support for community spaces – infrastructure	67,250,000	8,000,000	12,113,238
Strengthening strategic investment capacity	10,000,000	1,500,000	1,508,303
Support to Civic Community School Initiative^{Footnote 3}	5,250,000	0	0
Recruitment of teachers for minority community schools^{Footnote 3}	31,290,000	0	0
Enhanced support for French-language services in the territories (2017)	60,000,000	9,341,447	9,341,447
Support for educational community infrastructure ($80 million over 10 years) (2017)	28,000,000	3,892,062	3,892,062
Mobile application for learning French and English as a second language	16,500,000	813,467	674,176
Enhanced support for Explore language bursaries	21,000,000	4,200,000	3,915,000
Enhanced support for Odyssey official-language monitors^{Footnote 5}	17,500,000	3,500,000	1,521,722
Bursaries for post-secondary education in French as a second language^{Footnote 3}	12,600,000	0	0
Recruitment of teachers for French immersion schools^{Footnote 3}	31,290,000	0	0
Additional support for Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages (2017)	1,200,000	1,200,000	1,200,000
Employment and Social Development Canada – historical base
Social Partnership Initiative in OLMCs	4,000,000	1,686,255	1,686,189
OLMC Literacy and Essential Skills Initiative	7,500,000	1,500,000	532,781^{Footnote 6}
Enabling Fund for OLMCs (Employability and economic development) including the increase in core funding to organizations ($4.5 million out of five)	73,500,000	14,300,000	13,485,901
Employment and Social Development Canada – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023
Support for early childhood development - Support for the opening of daycares and daycare services	6,849,682	1,077,122	1,024,929
Support for early childhood development - Training and capacity building for early childhood educators	13,150,000	2,647,226	20,831^{Footnote 7}
Health Canada – historical base
Official Languages Health Contribution Program (Networks, Training and Access to Health Services)	174,300,000	34,860,000	34,950,463
Health Canada – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023
Additional Funding for community organizations	4,400,000	0	440,000
Enhancement of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program - Training and Retention of Health Human Resources	5,000,000	0	1,000,000
Enhancement of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program – Strengthening the Capacity of English-Language Health Networks in Quebec	3,500,000	0	700,000
Enhancement of the Official Languages Health Contribution Program – Innovation Projects	4,000,000	0	0
Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada – historical base
Immigration to official-languages minority communities	29,408,190	5,881,638	5,881,638
Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada – nouveau fonds du Plan d’action 2018–2023
Francophone integration pathway	36,553,615	4,300,090	4,144,607
Cooperation and Accountability	4,185,138	869,692	586,349
Justice Canada – historical base
Networks, Training and Access to Justice Services, including Additional funding for Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund (10 million over five years)	50,194,995	10,038,999	7,959,967^{Footnote 8}
Contraventions Act Fund	49,611,635	9,922,327	5,068,907^{Footnote 9}
Justice Canada – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023
Core funding to justice organizations	3,750,000	500,000	669,016
Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada – historical base
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (coordination)	1,600,000	380,000	385,787
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency	6,200,000	1,230,185	1,202,375
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions	10,200,000	2,022,450	2,108,091
Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)	400,000	80,000	80,000
Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario	4,450,000	890,000	890,000
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario	4,450,000	890,000	906,180
Western Economic Diversification Canada-Economic	3,200,000	640,000	1,087,544
Public Health Agency of Canada – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023
Enhanced early childhood health promotion programming	10,000,000	315,000	124,187^{Footnote 10}
Canada Council for the Arts – historical base
Market Access Strategy for Artists from OLMCs	2,750,000	550,000	550,000
National Research Council (NRC) – historical base
Strengthening language industries and technologies	10,000,000	2,000,000	2,124,388
Public Services and Procurement Canada (Translation Bureau) – historical base
Language Portal of Canada	16,000,000	3,200,000	3,060,320
Statistics Canada – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023
Additional, continued support to the language statistics section	2,997,270	599,454	601,400
Totals
Total – historical base	2,169,194,820	427,821,189	419,641,356
Total – new funds in Action Plan 2018–2023	484,605,705^{Footnote 11}	50,980,560	52,046,837
Total of government investments in official languages	2,653,800,525	478,801,749	471,688,193

Appendix 2: 2018-2019 Expenditures of the Official Languages Support Programs by component

Table 3. Expenditures of Canadian Heritage Official Languages Support Programs – Grand total (in dollars)
Program	Expenditures
Development of Official Language Communities Program	256,539,249
Enhancement of Official Languages Program	119,623,889
Grand Total	376,163,138

Table 4. Expenditures of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by component (in dollars)
Component	Sub-component	Expenditures
Community Life	Cooperation with the Community Sector^{Footnote 12}	38,760,352
	Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority Language Services^{Footnote 13}	24,236,947
	Strategic Fund^{Footnote 14}	3,988,240
	Community Media Strategic Support Fund	833,035
	Community Cultural Action Fund	1,939,682
	Community Cultural Action Micro-Grant Program for Minority Schools (Micro-grants)	127,018
	Young Canada Works (official languages)^{Footnote 15}	3,457,170
	Subtotal: "Community Life" component	73,342,444
Minority Language Education	Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority Language Education^{Footnote 16}	162,836,521
	Infrastructure^{Footnote 17}	16,005,300
	Complementary Support for Language Learning	2,359,984
	Cooperation with the Non-Governmental Sector^{Footnote 12}	1,995,000
	Subtotal: "Minority Language Education" component	183,196,805
All components	Total	256,539,249

Table 5. Expenditures of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program by component (in dollars)
Component	Sub-component	Expenditures
Promotion of Linguistic Duality	Appreciation and Reconciliation^{Footnote 12}	4,195,440
	Promotion of Bilingual Services	253,100
	Support for Interpretation and Translation	416,005
	Subtotal: "Promotion of Linguistic Duality"	4,864,545
Second Language Learning	Intergovernmental Cooperation on Second Language Learning^{Footnote 18}	88,113,441
	Complementary Support for Language Learning^{Footnote 19}	23,216,061
	Cooperation with the Non-Governmental Sector^{Footnote 12}	1,034,920
	Young Canada Works (official languages)	2,394,922
	Subtotal: " Second Language Learning" component	114,759,344
All components	Total	119,623,889

Appendix 3: 2018-2019 expenditures of the Official Languages Support Programs by province and territory

Table 6. Official Languages Support Programs Expenditures by Province and Territory (in dollars)
Province or territory	Development of Official Language Communities Program	Enhancement of Official Languages Program	Subtotal by province or territory
Newfoundland and Labrador	3,107,300	2,803,347	5,910,647
Prince Edward Island	5,203,931	1,533,742	6,737,673
Nova Scotia	8,781,084	3,938,511	12,719,595
New Brunswick	28,731,654	5,324,863	34,056,517
Quebec	53,687,593	18,406,662	72,094,255
Ontario	73,603,233	24,508,034	98,111,267
Manitoba	12,477,084	5,719,647	18,196,731
Saskatchewan	7,342,319	4,493,522	11,835,841
Alberta	13,061,970	9,122,007	22,183,977
British Columbia	12,929,385	11,331,533	24,260,918
Northwest Territories	7,855,078	1,327,153	9,182,231
Yukon	7,650,616	977,100	8,627,716
Nunavut	5,665,151	526,746	6,191,897
National (national organizations, Canadian and inter regional projects)	10,625,697	4,000,039	14,625,736
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Explore and Destination Clic (Bursaries)	821,878	17,025,860	17,847,738
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Odyssey	1,538,106	6,190,201	7,728,307
Young Canada Works	3,457,170	2,394,922	5,852,092
Total	256,539,249	119,623,889	376,163,138

Table 7. Expenditures of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Province or territory	"Community Life" component	"Minority Language Education" component	Subtotal by province or territory
Newfoundland and Labrador	1,805,749	1,301,551	3,107,300
Prince Edward Island	2,756,529	2,447,402	5,203,931
Nova Scotia	3,644,359	5,136,725	8,781,084
New Brunswick	6,641,985	22,089,669	28,731,654
Quebec	5,338,807	48,348,786	53,687,593
Ontario	8,306,703	65,296,530	73,603,233
Manitoba	4,708,365	7,768,719	12,477,084
Saskatchewan	3,529,030	3,813,289	7,342,319
Alberta	4,333,695	8,728,275	13,061,970
British Columbia	3,953,045	8,976,340	12,929,385
Northwest Territories	6,172,228	1,682,850	7,855,078
Yukon	5,414,816	2,235,800	7,650,616
Nunavut	4,769,266	895,885	5,665,151
National (national organizations, pan Canadian and inter regional projects)	8,510,697	2,115,000	10,625,697
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Explore and Destination Clic (Bursaries)	0	821,878	821,878
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Odyssey	0	1,538,106	1,538,106
Young Canada Works	3,457,170	0	3,457,170
Total	73,342,444	183,196,805	256,539,249

Table 8. Expenditures of the “Community Life” component of the Development of Official Language Communities Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Province or territory	“Cooperation with the Community Sector” sub component	“Intergovernmental Cooperation on Services” sub component	Subtotal by province or territory
Newfoundland and Labrador	1,455,749	350,000	1,805,749
Prince Edward Island	1,519,029	1,237,500	2,756,529
Nova Scotia	2,343,359	1,301,000	3,644,359
New Brunswick	5,044,985	1,597,000	6,641,985
Quebec	4,938,807	400,000	5,338,807
Ontario	6,906,703	1,400,000	8,306,703
Manitoba	3,308,365	1,400,000	4,708,365
Saskatchewan	2,769,030	760,000	3,529,030
Alberta	3,683,695	650,000	4,333,695
British Columbia	3,253,045	700,000	3,953,045
Northwest Territories	672,228	5,500,000	6,172,228
Yukon	658,605	4,756,211	5,414,816
Nunavut	584,030	4,185,236	4,769,266
National (national organizations, Canadian and inter regional projects)	8,510,697	0	8,510,697
Young Canada Works	3,457,170	0	3,457,170
Total	49,105,497	24,236,947	73,342,444

Table 9. Expenditures of the Enhancement of Official Languages Program by province and territory (in dollars)
Province or territory	“Promotion of Linguistic Duality” component	“Second Language Learning” component	Subtotal by province or territory
Newfoundland and Labrador	164,052	2,639,295	2,803,347
Prince Edward Island	134,640	1,399,102	1,533,742
Nova Scotia	177,156	3,761,355	3,938,511
New Brunswick	176,478	5,148,385	5,324,863
Quebec	0	18,406,662	18,406,662
Ontario	353,400	24,154,634	24,508,034
Manitoba	179,196	5,540,451	5,719,647
Saskatchewan	179,196	4,314,326	4,493,522
Alberta	227,148	8,894,859	9,122,007
British Columbia	364,512	10,967,021	11,331,533
Northwest Territories	63,648	1,263,505	1,327,153
Yukon	0	977,100	977,100
Nunavut	0	526,746	526,746
National (national organizations, pan Canadian and inter regional projects)	2,845,119	1,154,920	4,000,039
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Explore and Destination Clic	0	17,025,860	17,025,860
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Odyssey	0	6,190,201	6,190,201
Young Canada Works	0	2,394,922	2,394,922
Total	4,864,545	114,759,344	119,623,889

Appendix 4: 2018-2019 education expenditures

Table 10. Breakdown of education expenditures (in dollars)
	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds
	Minority language education			Second language learning			Total
Bilateral agreements	149,251,357	81.47%	177,133,029	86,269,115	75.17%	148,977,892	235,520,472	79.05%	326,110,921
Complimentary projects	13,585,164	7.42%	23,071,531	1,844,326	1.61%	681,451	15,429,490	5.18%	23,752,982
Infrastructure	16,005,300	8.74%	18,050,394	0	0%	0	16,005,300	5.37%	18,050,394
Cooperation with the non-governmental sector; Complementary support for language learning; Young Canada Works (Second-Language Learning)	4,354,984	2.38%	0	26,645,903	23.22%	0	31,000,887	10.4%	0
Grand Total	183,196,805	100 %	218,254,954	114,759,344	100 %	149,659,343	297,956,149	100 %	367,914,297

Table 11. Breakdown of education expenditures – Intergovernmental cooperation (in dollars)
	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds
	Minority language education			Second language learning			Total
Student participation	31,576,767	18.9 %	41,393,295	9,545,495	8.3 %	9,769,180	41,122,262	14.6 %	51,162,475
Program availability	61,031,312	36.5 %	76,435,601	45,898,801	40 %	103,665,616	106,930,113	37.9 %	180,101,217
Student performance	7,409,075	4.4 %	12,808,250	5,544,973	4.8 %	6,312,969	12,954,048	4.6 %	19,121,219
Enriched school environment	13,529,289	8.1 %	13,327,397	8,917,436	7.8 %	9,150,216	22,446,725	8 %	22,477,613
Access to post secondary education	38,017,102	22.7 %	44,830,464	8,587,873	7.5 %	8,242,575	46,604,975	16.5 %	53,073,039
Support for educational staff and research	11,152,976	6.7 %	11,409,553	9,618,863	8.4 %	12,518,787	20,771,839	7.4 %	23,928,340
Complementary funds - CMEC	120,000	0.1 %	0	0	-	0	120,000	-	0
Subtotal	162,836,521	97.3 %	200,204,560	88,113,441	76.8 %	149,659,343	250,949,962	89 %	349,863,903

Table 12. Breakdown of education expenditures — Council of Ministers of Education, Collaboration with the non-governmental sector and Young Canada Works (in dollars)
	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds	Federal funds	Share of total federal funds	Provincial / territorial funds
	Minority language education			Second language learning			Total
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Explore and Destination Clic	821,878	0.5 %	0	17,025,860	14.8 %	0	17,847,738	6.3 %	0
Complementary Support for Language Learning: Odyssey	1,538,106	0.9 %	0	6,190,201	5.4 %	0	7,728,307	2.7 %	0
Cooperation with the Non-Governmental Sector	1,995,000	1.2 %	0	1,034,920	0.9 %	0	3,029,920	1.1 %	1,995,000
Young Canada Works	0	0	0	2,394,922	2.1 %	0	2,394,922	0.8 %	0
Subtotal	4,354,984	3 %	0	26,645,903	23 %	0	31,000,887	11 %	0

Appendix 5: School enrolment in 2017-2018

Table 13. Enrolments in second language instruction programs in majority language school systems – All of Canada

Type of second language instruction program	Year	Total enrolment in majority schools	Second language (including immersion)		French immersion
Type of second language instruction program	Year	Total enrolment in majority schools	Enrolment	Percentage (of total population)	Enrolment	Percentage (of total population)
Total–Students in majority language school systems taking French as a second language combined with students taking English as a second language	1983-1984^{Table 13 note 1}	4,401,997	2,199,253	50 %	117,454	2.7 %
	2017-2018	4,609,161	2,449,827	53.2 %	463,119	10.0 %
Total–English language students in majority systems learning French as a second language (Canada minus Quebec)	1983-1984^{Table 13 note 1}	3,464,272	1,607,335	46.4 %	117,454	3.4 %
	2017-2018	3,767,001	1,708,242	45.3 %	463,119	12.3 %
Total–Students in the French language education system learning English as a second language in Quebec	1983-1984^{Table 13 note 1}	937,725	591,918	63.1 %	-	-
	2017-2018	842,160	741,585	88.1 %	-	-

Table 13 notes

Table 13 note 1

Second language totals for 1983–1984 do not include Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut, for which no data were available. For each of these jurisdictions, the earliest year for which data is available is used to establish a base year.

Return to first table 13 note 1 referrer

Table 14. Enrolments in second language instruction programs in majority language school systems by province or territory
Province or territory	Year	Total enrolment in majority schools	Second language (including immersion)		French immersion
Province or territory	Year	Total enrolment in majority schools	Enrolment	Percentage (of total population)	Enrolment	Percentage (of total population)
Newfoundland and Labrador	1983-1984	147,500	75,056	50.9 %	970	0.7 %
Newfoundland and Labrador	2017-2018	64,932	41,277	63.6 %	10,434	16.1 %
Prince Edward Island	1983-1984	24,964	15,911	63.7 %	1,833	7.3 %
Prince Edward Island	2017-2018	19,248	11,769	61.1 %	5,094	26.5 %
Nova Scotia	1983-1984	172,770	95,201	55.1 %	894	0.5 %
Nova Scotia	2017-2018	113,097	58,059	51.3 %	15,471	13.7 %
New Brunswick	1983-1984	98,284	70,289	71.5 %	11,009	11.2 %
New Brunswick	2017-2018	68,793	44,517	64.7 %	22,743	33.1 %
Quebec	1983-1984	937,725	591,918	63.1 %	-	-
Quebec	2017-2018	842,160	741,585	88.1 %	-	-
Ontario	1983-1984	1,682,302	909,290	54.1 %	65,310	3.9 %
Ontario	2017-2018	1,911,744	1,002,126	52.4 %	270,321	14.1 %
Manitoba	1983-1984	194,182	91,058	46.9 %	9,090	4.7 %
Manitoba	2017-2018	178,884	81,201	45.4 %	25,164	14.1 %
Saskatchewan	1983-1984	200,362	52,324	26.1 %	4,018	2 %
Saskatchewan	2017-2018	179,376	49,551	27.6 %	15,318	8.5 %
Alberta	1983-1984	447,759	120,868	27 %	14,523	3.2 %
Alberta	2017-2018	657,468	184,359	28.0 %	43,377	6.6 %
British Columbia	1983-1984	496,149	177,338	35.7 %	9,807	2 %
British Columbia	2017-2018	549,801	230,148	41.9 %	53,481	9.7 %
Yukon	1984-1985	4,667	2,221	47.6 %	186	4 %
Yukon	2017-2018	5,103	2,544	49.9 %	771	15.1 %
Northwest Territories	1990-1991	14,016	4,360	31.1 %	404	2.9 %
Northwest Territories	2017-2018	8,544	2,691	31.5 %	945	11.1 %
Nunavut	2002-2003	8,861	0	Not available	0	Not available
Nunavut	2017-2018	10,011	0	Not available	0	Not available

Table 15. Enrolments in minority language education programs – All of Canada

Scope	Year	Total of school enrolment	Enrolment in minority language schools	Classes	Minority language share of total school enrolment
Total – Canada	1983-1984^{Table 15 note 1}	4,682,999	281,002	-	6 %
Total – Canada	2017-2018	4,860,060	250,899	-	5.2 %
Total – French minority language schools	1983-1984^{Table 15 note 1}	3,634,315	152,594	-	4.2 %
Total – French minority language schools	2017-2018	3,934,251	167,250	-	4.3 %

Table 15 notes

Table 15 note 1

Minority language figures for 1983–1984 exclude Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, where there were no minority language schools in 1983–1984. For each of these jurisdictions, the earliest year for which data is available is used to establish a base year.

Return to first table 15 note 1 referrer

Table 16. Enrolments in minority language education programs by province and territory
Province or territory	Year	Total of school enrolment	Enrolment in minority language schools	Classes	Minority language share of total school enrolment
Newfoundland and Labrador	1983-1984	147,603	103	Kindergarten to 12	0.1 %
Newfoundland and Labrador	2017-2018	65,283	351	Kindergarten to 12	0.5 %
Prince Edward Island	1983-1984	25,480	516	1 to 12	2 %
Prince Edward Island	2017-2018	20,184	936	Kindergarten to 12	4.6 %
Nova Scotia	1983-1984	177,240	4,470	Kindergarten to 12	2.5 %
Nova Scotia	2017-2018	118,962	5,865	Kindergarten to 12	4.9 %
New Brunswick	1983-1984	146,045	47,761	Kindergarten to 12	32.7 %
New Brunswick	2017-2018	97,755	28,962	Kindergarten to 12	29.6 %
Quebec	1983-1984	1,066,133	128,408	Kindergarten to 11	12 %
Quebec	2017-2018	925,809	83,649	Kindergarten to 11	9.0 %
Ontario	1983-1984	1,773,478	91,176	Kindergarten to 12	5.1 %
Ontario	2017-2018	2,020,248	108,504	Kindergarten to 12	5.4 %
Manitoba	1983-1984	199,743	5,561	Kindergarten to 12	2.8 %
Manitoba	2017-2018	184,710	5,826	Kindergarten to 12	3.2 %
Saskatchewan	1983-1984	201,130	768	Kindergarten to 12	0.4 %
Saskatchewan	2017-2018	181,272	1,896	Kindergarten to 12	1.0 %
Alberta	1983-1984	448,835	1,076	Kindergarten to 12	0.2 %
Alberta	2017-2018	665,868	8,400	Kindergarten to 12	1.3 %
British Columbia	1983-1984	497,312	1,163	Kindergarten to 12	0.1 %
British Columbia	2017-2018	555,738	5,937	Kindergarten to 12	1.1 %
Yukon	1984-1985	4,697	30	Kindergarten to 8	0.6 %
Yukon	2017-2018	5,391	288	Kindergarten to 12	5.2 %
Northwest Territories	1990-1991	14,079	63	Kindergarten to 11	0.4 %
Northwest Territories	2017-2018	8,733	189	Kindergarten to 12	2.2 %
Nunavut	2002-2003	8,901	40	Kindergarten to 12	0.4 %
Nunavut	2017-2018	10,107	96	Kindergarten to 12	0.9 %

Footnotes

Footnote 1

All planned investments over 5 years will be disbursed as planned, for each initiative, by March 31, 2023.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

Funding for this initiative begins in 2019-2020. This enhancement includes the investment of up to $7.5 million over five years for the new Cultural Community Action Program for Official Language Minority Schools and official language minority communities (micro-grants). Funds have been allocated in 2018-2019 to support the preparations of the two organizations identified to deliver the culture micro-grants (PassepART and ArtistsInspire Grants).

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Footnote 3

Funding for this initiative begins in 2019-2020.

Return to first footnote 3 referrer

Footnote 4

This initiative includes the Community Media Strategic Support Fund ($833,035) and media internships ($1,062,248). In the tables on official languages support program expenditures (Appendices 2 and 3), media internships are accounted for under the Young Canada Works sub-component.

Return to footnote 4 referrer

Footnote 5

As promotion and recruitment activities for the 2018-2019 cohort of Odyssey monitors were underway prior to the announcement of the 2018-2023 Action Plan in March 2018, the promotion of the planned salary increase among eligible candidates did not have the desired effect of increasing the number of registrations in the Odyssey program in 2018-2019. Recruitment efforts for the 2019-2020 cohort will include promotion of the annual salary increase at the outset of the process. It should be noted that any uncommitted expenditures may have supported other official languages support program initiatives in 2018-2019.

Return to footnote 5 referrer

Footnote 6

In order to ensure that the initiative adequately meets the needs of the communities, the Office of Literacy and Essential Skills of ESDC began consultations in the spring of 2018 with Literacy and Essential Skills (LES) stakeholders in OLMCs to develop its strategy, which would become the main component of its initiative under the Action Plan. The consultations, options development, proposal development and negotiations concluded in August 2019 with the signing of a funding agreement for the creation of the first national LES organization that will serve English-speaking and French-speaking minorities. As a result, there was less spending than planned in fiscal year 2018-2019. However, ESDC plans to fully disburse the allocated funds over 5 years as part of the 2018-2023 Action Plan.

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Footnote 7

The contribution agreements were signed during the year 2019-2020 and included planned 2018-2019 expenditures that were not spent. ESDC anticipates that the funds allocated over 5 years under the 2018-2023 Action Plan will be spent in full.

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Footnote 8

The Department has taken several measures to reduce the gap between planned and real expenditures in this first year of implementation to ensure that the maximum amount of funding remains available to the communities:

A call for proposals for new projects was issued in August 2018, but no applications were received. Organizations were then contacted directly by Programs Branch, resulting in 13 upward amendments to funding agreements to support additional activities.
In November 2018, a call was issued to provinces and territories receiving funding through the Canadian Family Justice Fund to improve access to services for communities, and two new agreements were signed with Ontario and Yukon.
Core funding agreements were quickly put in place with 11 organizations. The value of these agreements for 2018-2019 has been increased beyond the $500,000 in funding provided, given the availability of funds from other components of the Support Fund.

Justice Canada expects to be in a position to fully spend the funds allocated for the remaining four years of the 2018-2023 Action Plan.

Return to footnote 8 referrer

Footnote 9

The variance between planned and real expenditures for 2018-2019 is explained by the fact that only provinces, territories and municipalities are eligible to receive funding from the Fund and that, given the nature of the Contraventions Act Fund and the administration of the Contraventions Regime, it remains difficult to predict the annual allocation required by other levels of government. The Department continues to work diligently to put in place new agreements and to collaborate with other levels of government to ensure that the Contraventions Act is implemented across the country. Newfoundland and Labrador has recently joined the Contraventions Act regime (in 2017-2018). The Department has put in place the conditions that will allow Alberta and Saskatchewan to access the Fund in the future, and has initiated discussions with the Northwest Territories. The conclusion of new agreements with provinces, territories and municipalities will ensure that funding under this initiative will grow.

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Footnote 10

In order to better meet communities’ needs, the Agency undertook a consultation process with partners before launching its call for projects, which delayed the implementation of contribution agreements for 2018-2019.

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Footnote 11

The new funding from Action Plan 2018-2023 for the increase in core funding for organizations receiving funds from the Employment and Social Development Canada’s Enabling Fund for OLMCs ($4.5 million) and the enhancement of Justice Canada’s Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund ($10 million) have been reported as part of the historical base funding by these departments.

Return to footnote 11 referrer

Footnote 12

Expenditures include a portion of the increase in core funding.

Return to first footnote 12 referrer

Footnote 13

Expenditures include enhanced support for French-language services in the territories.

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Footnote 14

Expenditures include the strengthening of strategic investment capacity.

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Footnote 15

Expenditures include additional support for Young Canada Works (Green Jobs) and media internships.

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Footnote 16

Expenditures represent investments in minority language under bilateral agreements as well as complementary projects.

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Footnote 17

Expenditures represent investments to support community spaces - infrastructure (Action Plan for Official Languages) and support for educational community infrastructure (Investing in Canada Plan - 2017).

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Footnote 18

Expenditures represent investments in second-language instruction under bilateral agreements as well as complementary projects.

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Footnote 19

Expenditures include enhanced support for the Explore second-language program and the Odyssey second-language monitors program.

Return to footnote 19 referrer

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Date modified:: 2020-10-06