OLLO – Settlement and Integration – February 6, 2023

Settlement and Integration in Francophone Minority Communities^{Footnote 1}

Key Messages

• The Francophone Integration Pathway is part of the broader Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) settlement programming but is specifically designed and delivered “by and for” Francophone immigrants outside Quebec.
• In 2021-2022 IRCC has invested approximately $61M, including $8.2M from the Official Languages Action Plan, to consolidate the Francophone Integration Pathway.
• This investment reflects the Government’s commitment to support the successful integration of newcomers into Francophone Communities (outside of Quebec) and the vitality of Francophone Minority Communities (FMC), as stated in IRCC’s Francophone Immigration Strategy.
• An initiative since 2019, Language Training for French Speaking newcomers in Francophone Minority Communities, in support of the Francophone Integration Pathway, funds training in both French and English to francophone and allophone newcomers.

Supplementary Messages

• IRCC has implemented the Francophone Integration Pathway through measures and initiatives built around the following pillars:
  • Improved Francophone settlement services – fund the development and delivery of a suite of high quality settlement services in French (information & orientation, employment-related services, language training, etc.);
  • Welcoming Francophone communities – invest in the 14 host communities so they can welcome newcomers and facilitate the creation of lasting ties with the Francophone communities;
  • Strengthened capacity of the Francophone Settlement Sector - equip Francophone service providers with tools and best practices, and increase collaboration amongst the Settlement Sector.
• Since 2018, several accomplishments have been achieved to help Francophone Minority Communities better attract, welcome and integrate newcomers. These include:
  • Increased funding allocated to Francophone communities: from $39M in 2019-2020 to $53M in 2020-2021, and to $61M in allocated funds in 2021-2022.^{Footnote 2}
  • Increased number of Francophone service providers funded (from 50 in 2018 to nearly 80 in 2022), resulting in better coverage of core services across the country.
  • New projects that integrate a Gender-based Analysis Plus lens to address specific populations’ distinct needs such as specialized services for women (La Maison des femmes in Toronto) and other marginalized groups, including newcomers who identify as part of the LGBTQ2 community (FrancoQueer).
  • More services provided through a hybrid delivery mode (in-person, virtually, in itinerancy) which increases service accessibility in smaller and rural communities.
  • A single window for pre-arrival services (Connexions Francophones) has been established to offer services to confirmed French-speaking permanent residents. This project aims to connect French-speaking newcomers with Francophone communities prior to their arrival. In 2020-2021^{Footnote 3}, 80% of all eligible French-speaking immigrants aiming to settle outside Quebec received pre-arrival settlement services from this single-window. The percentage was 64% the previous year.
  • Service hubs (“Carrefour de services”) and partnerships have been established in several main cities (e.g.: Edmonton, Regina, Sudbury, etc.) to ensure that newcomers can have access to core settlement services offered by a Francophone organization, including the evaluation of their needs and assets, referrals, information and orientation.
  • 14 communities and cities across the country (outside of Quebec) are piloting a community-based initiative called the Welcoming Francophone communities initiative with the aim of creating an environment in which newcomers will feel welcome.
  • Eight national projects support capacity building of the Francophone settlement sector by providing tools and professional development in French, in areas such as mental health, justice, employer engagement, as well as targeted support for seniors, women and families.

Language Acquisition

• As part of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023, IRCC funds adapted language training services, which aim to strengthen the Francophone Integration Pathway, and supports the vitality of Francophone Minority Communities.
• This initiative strengthens the supply and access to language training in French and/or English for French-speaking and allophone clients, who often have language training needs in one or both languages, as part of their economic and social settlement and integration needs. Seven organizations are funded to provide these innovative services ($7.6M for 2018-2023).

Resettlement

• The number of Francophone Resettlement Assistance Program Service Provider Organisations funded by IRCC has doubled. Alongside Winnipeg (MB) and Cornwall (ON), two new centres have been added in the communities of Edmundston and Bathurst (NB), in January 2022.
• In the context of the Afghanistan Operation, IRCC provided support to FMC through the delivery of public awareness webinars in relation to housing challenges faced by Afghan refugees (February 2022) and anti-Islamophobia (March 2022). Custom-made products^{Footnote 4} were also developed to raise awareness among Afghan refugees about francophone communities.
• In addition, IRCC has provided one-time funding to a partnership of three Francophone organizations who are working together to strengthen Francophone Minority Communities’ capacity to engage directly in the sponsorship of refugees. This has been funded through a two-year Private Sponsorship of Refugees Capacity Building Fund.

Anti-Racism Activities

• IRCC works in close collaboration with Francophone settlement stakeholders across the country (except Quebec) to implement anti-racism strategies and increase connections between French-speaking newcomers and host communities, including Indigenous Peoples.
• For example, IRCC and the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne have collaborated on key Government priorities through open dialogue on topics such as anti-islamophobia and Canada’s housing crisis in relation to the arrival of Afghan refugees.

Supporting Facts And Figures

• Funding for Francophone settlement services increased from $39M in 2019-2020 to $53M in 2020-2021, and finally to $61M in allocated funding in 2021-2022^{Footnote 5}.
• The percentage of French-speaking newcomers who were served by Francophone organizations has been steadily increasing: 44% in 2018-2019; 51% in 2019-2020; and 57% in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022^{Footnote 6}.
• For the period of 2017-2018 to 2021-2022, the number of French-speaking immigrants who used settlement and/or resettlement services increased from 12,665 to 15,870, an increase of 25%^{Footnote 7}.

Background

• Prior to 2018, consultations and reports indicated that the suite of settlement services offered in French was fragmented. A whole-of-sector approach needed to be developed to better inform and refer newcomers to Francophone services.
• In addition, there was a need to better support Francophone service providers in building their capacity to deliver services.
• As such, the Department has undertaken the implementation of the Francophone Integration Pathway which consists of funding for a suite of settlement services in French, offered in a coordinated and integrated manner by Francophone communities and aimed at facilitating the integration, as well as the creation of lasting ties between newcomers and Francophone communities outside Quebec.