Come Discover the Canadian Francophonie!

Discover the Canadian Francophonie—launch of the new Francophone Heritage, Culture and Tourism Corridor

GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 20, 2018 Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, officially launched the new Francophone Heritage, Culture and Tourism Corridor, a tourism website and mobile app showcasing over 150 heritage and cultural topics in all provinces and territories.

The Canadian Francophonie has a great deal to offer all across the country. This tool invites visitors to enjoy experiences that showcase our Francophone heritage and discover local products. It also highlights small and medium-sized businesses that are already the pride of their community.

The Corridor is intended for both English- and French-speaking Canadian and international tourists. The online tool showcases tourist attractions related to Canada's Francophone heritage and culture, and offers users an innovative classification system for the level of French-language services they can expect to receive.

The project emerged from the 2015 Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie in Toronto, which brought together the provincial and territorial ministers responsible for Francophone affairs. The Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité (RDÉE Canada), whose mission is to promote the economic development of Canada's Francophone and Acadian communities, is responsible for its implementation.

Quotes

"The Corridor is a major Canada 150 project developed to promote the Canadian Francophonie, and it will leave a major legacy for our country's Francophones and Francophiles. This project acknowledges and celebrates our Francophone heritage, and offers unique experiences and local products. It presents an innovative showcase of Canada's Francophonie to the rest of the world."

—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"Many countries around the world offer tourist circuits that are popular with travellers. This corridor adds an experience like nothing else in the world by showcasing a major element of Canada's character internationally. The Canadian Francophonie, in addition to being a source of pride, will be a tourist attraction that visitors will love. As we celebrate Canada's best year ever for international tourism, I hope this project will inspire more visitors to come and experience everything our country has to offer."

—The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Small Business and Tourism

"The project design phase will continue until March 31, 2018, as scheduled. Given the enthusiastic and eager response of the partners to whom we presented the Corridor, we will be launching the project this year. In so doing, we hope to capitalize on the potential of the 2018 tourism season and provide a tangible benefit to partners interested in participating in the project. The adventure is just beginning."

—Jean‑Guy Bigeau, President and CEO, RDÉE Canada

Quick Facts

The Francophone Heritage, Culture and Tourism Corridor showcases over 150 heritage and cultural topics in all provinces and territories.

The Corridor provides an innovative and engaging classification of French-language services.

The Corridor will be fully operational in English and French as of April 1, 2018.

In 2017, the year of Canada 150, international tourists made 20.8 million trips of one or more nights to Canada, up 4.4 percent from 2016 and a new annual record, surpassing the previous record of 20.1 million set in 2002.

Related Products

Launching a Major Project for Canada's Francophone Community

Associated Links

Francophone Heritage, Culture and Tourism Corridor

Réseau de développement économique et d'employabilité

Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie

Travel between Canada and other countries

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only): Simon Ross, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, 819-997-7788; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.pch.gc.ca