Investing in Northern Ontario's Francophone Community

The Government of Canada supports official languages in Northern Ontario

SUDBURY, ON, April 12, 2019 /CNW/ - Over the generations, Canadians have kept their official languages and culture alive and well. Ensuring their vitality is essential and depends on building strong and vibrant communities.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, was in Sudbury today to announce $277,500 in funding for three organisations dedicated to preserving and promoting official-language minority communities in the area. This three-year investment is being provided through the Official Languages Support Programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage and will be used for the organizations' programming.

While in Northern Ontario, Minister Joly also announced $25,200 for three additional organizations from the region. This investment represents an increase in their annual base funding as outlined in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future.

Today's announcement represents a total investment of over $300,000 in the region and will contribute to the vitality of the area's official-language minority communities.

In the last year, the Government of Canada has invested close to $1.28 million in Northern Ontario to support official-language minority communities and promote bilingualism.

Quotes

"We know how important it is for minority language communities to have access to services and programs that allow them to thrive in their own language and culture. With these investments, we are supporting efforts to increase the number of cultural activities so that Francophone communities across Northern Ontario can come together and thrive."

—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie

Quick Facts

Canadian Heritage supports a range of Official Languages Support Programs. The collective goal of these programs is to promote French and English in Canadian society and to encourage the development of Francophone and Anglophone minority communities.

Three organizations dedicated to preserving and promoting official-language minority communities in Northern Ontario are sharing funding of $277,500 through the Official Languages Support Programs: La Galerie du nouvel-Ontario, centre d'artistes, Prise de Parole Inc., and Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury.

The Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future proposes additional funding of $499.2 million in addition to current investments of $2.2 billion, which will bring the Government of Canada's total support to almost $2.7 billion over five years.

In 2018, core funding for official-language community organizations was increased by 20 percent for the duration of the action plan. This support will strengthen nearly 300 organizations across Canada.

Three organizations receiving an increase on their base funding for 2019–2020 are sharing funding of $25,200 as part of Action Plan: Le Club canadien français de Geraldton, Le Club des francophones de Longlac, and Red Lake Francophone Association.

There are official-language minority communities in every province and territory, each with its own specific realities and needs.

Associated Links

Official Languages Funding Programs

La Galerie du nouvel-Ontario, centre d'artistes

Prise de Parole Inc. (French only)

Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury (French only)

Data Tables

Organization	City	Fiscal years	Funding
La Galerie du nouvel-Ontario, centre d'artistes	Sudbury	2019–2024	$90,000
Prise de Parole Inc.	Sudbury	2019–2024	$97,500
Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury	Sudbury	2019–2024	$90,000
Le Club canadien français de Geraldton	Geraldton	2019–2020	$12,000
Le Club des francophones de Longlac	Longlac	2019–2020	$7,200
Red Lake Francophone Association	Red Lake	2019–2020	$6,000
			TOTAL: $302,700

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

(media only): Jérémy Ghio, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]