On June 19, 2025, the Government of Yukon has released the 2025–28 Strategic framework for French-language services. This plan will help guide how the government will keep increasing access to timely bilingual services and information where they matter most.

The four priorities are: enhancing Yukoners’ access to bilingual services, promoting services availability, embedding bilingual capacity across government; and supporting a thriving Francophone community.

• Read the news release
• Read the Strategic framework

The Ontario government is improving health-care access for francophones by creating a new French Language Health Planning Centre. Designed in partnership with the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO) and Hôpital Montfort, the new centre will better address the needs of francophone communities and make it easier for French speakers to connect to health care closer to home.

• Read the news release

On June 17, 2025, Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada Raymond Théberge tabled his 2024–2025 annual report in Parliament.

«We’ve made significant progress with the modernization of the Official Languages Act, but the work is far from complete. It’s crucial to ensure that we have the means, including strong regulations, to carry out the major societal project of fully implementing the modernized Act, as much for official language minority communities as for federal public servants and the Canadian public», he declared.

• Read the news release
• Read the 2024-2025 annual report

The Ontario government is investing over $15.7 million to protect jobs and support the construction of a new recreation centre for Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans (MIFO) — a not-for-profit francophone, artistic, cultural and community organization. This investment is part of the $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) — a provincewide initiative to help communities revitalize local facilities, protect jobs, grow the economy and promote active healthy living across Ontario.

• Read the news release

The Manitoba government is asking Manitobans to share their thoughts and ideas on how the province can create an effective road map to making Manitoba a truly bilingual province, Municipal and Northern Affairs Minister Glen Simard, minister responsible for francophone affairs, announced today. 

“Our government is committed to recognizing the founding role of the francophone community in Manitoba and these public consultations are the beginning of a process that will lead to Manitoba becoming a bilingual province,” said Simard. “I invite the public to tell us how we can make Louis Riel’s dream of a bilingual province a reality and provide us with suggestions on how to best ensure that francophone Manitobans are better able to engage personally and professionally in their language of choice.” 

These online consultations are targeting members of the public and will help inform the development of a strategy to support a bilingual province. In addition to getting feedback from the public, the province will also be working with stakeholder organizations to get their suggestions on how the provincial government can achieve the shared goal of expanding access to the French language. 

“During a broad consultation process led by the SFM in 2014 and 2015, many voices from Manitoba’s francophone community expressed their clear desire: to make Manitoba a truly bilingual province,” said Derrek Bentley, president, Société de la francophonie manitobaine. “Today, the public consultations launched by the government represent a concrete step toward this goal, a key step in building a Manitoba where French and English fully coexist and thrive. I invite everyone, regardless of their background, to join this collective commitment. Together, let’s make our voices heard to build a more inclusive and prosperous province.” 

Members of the public who wish to provide more detailed written remarks and suggestions can send documents and messages by email to bilingualmanitobabilingue@gov.mb.ca. The same email address can also be used for people wishing to participate in targeted in-person consultations. 

To participate in the EngageMB survey, visit http://engagemb.ca/a-bilingual-province. 

The Government of Yukon has released a What We Heard report presenting the results from public engagement conducted to understand how Yukoners use French-language services, identify what is working well and where access to services can be improved.

The public engagement took place from March 24 to April 24, 2025, with over 270 survey responses received online and through filled-out paper copies.

An engagement session was also held with the “Table de gouvernance de la Franco-Yukonnie” to gather insight on how the government can best support the vitality of the growing Yukon Francophonie now and for generations to come.

Yukoners who participated in the survey shared:

• a need for more dependable access to French-language services;
• an emphasis on bilingual access to services related to:
  • education, employment and immigration;
  • health and wellness;
  • legal, justice and regulations; and
  • public safety and emergency responsiveness.
• a preference for accessing government services online and in-person compared to by phone or email; and
• a need to ensure the ongoing inclusion of the Francophone perspective and exploring new approaches to integrate it while developing major initiatives, strategies and policies.

The feedback gathered will help the Government of Yukon plan and prioritize its actions to keep enhancing timely access to French-language services and information. The results will shape the government’s 2025–28 Strategic framework for French-language services.

The Government of Yukon is committed to ensuring Yukoners have access to the services they need. Increasing access to bilingual services and information supports the government in continuing to fulfill this commitment.

Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate John Streicker has issued the following statement:

“Today, on Yukon Francophonie Day, we celebrate the long-standing history and vitality of the Yukon’s growing Francophone community.

“Since 2007, every May 15 we proudly recognize how French-speaking Yukoners contribute to enriching our territory culturally, economically and socially.

“Our government is committed to supporting a thriving Francophone community and fostering its vitality both now and for generations to come. One of the ways in which we support this commitment is our annual funding to the Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) to organize a community gathering for everyone to celebrate Yukon Francophonie Day.

“I invite all Yukoners to join in the festivities hosted by AFY on Thursday, May 15, from 10 am to 9 pm at the MacBride Museum. From an exhibition showcasing the Yukon Francophonie, a treasure hunt and colouring activities for children, to live music, drinks and treats, everyone can find an activity to enjoy.

“A heartfelt thank you to the Commissioner of Yukon for also supporting community-led events across the territory yearly, through the Yukon Francophonie Day funding program. Thanks to the organizations and schools that brought forward creative projects again this year, people can experience the richness of Francophone culture by enjoying a student talent show, singing and sharing food and discovering the stories of Yukon Francophone women who have helped shape our territory, among many other vibrant moments.

“Thank you to everyone who creates opportunities – both year-round and specifically for Yukon Francophonie Day – to experience, cultivate and share our rich and diverse Yukon Francophonie.

“Happy Yukon Francophonie Day!”

The provincial government of New Brunswick has announced its new strategy on francophone Africa, which focuses on economic development, education and training, immigration and labour recruitment, as well as diplomatic relations.

“This strategy further establishes our government’s intention to strengthen the province’s international presence while becoming a preferred partner of francophone Africa,” said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours, who is also minister responsible for immigration. “Africa is the second-fastest growing region in the world, and its expanding importance on the world stage creates real opportunities for New Brunswick. We are excited about the mutually beneficial potential of this partnership and look forward to getting to work on our common areas of interest.”

Six countries have been identified as a priority for the implementation of the strategy: Morocco, Ivory Coast, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal and Tunisia. The province is already active in several of these countries through various agreements. Some organizations and private sector businesses are also present in these countries.

“With an estimated population of 176 million people within 31 countries and territories, francophone Africa stands out as a prime partner, in particular for New Brunswick,” said Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin, who is also minister responsible for La Francophonie. “We will promote exchanges with these six countries while further exploring possibilities and progressively expanding the collaboration to other francophone African countries. We share a common language and common values, and this will foster the development of mutually beneficial institutional and academic partnerships. By taking advantage of our collective strengths, we can build a partnership that will lead to a better future for all.”

The Department of Intergovernmental Affairs will be responsible for co-ordinating and monitoring the strategy, but several partners will contribute to its implementation, including the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Immigration NB, Opportunities NB, the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick, the Université de Moncton, the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, and the Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick, as well as New Brunswick associations representing people coming from these six countries.

Alberta has one of the fastest-growing francophone and French-speaking populations in Canada. To support the growing number of francophone students in the province, Alberta’s government, through Budget 2025, is investing in new school spaces and increasing grant funding for francophone school boards.

“We’re committed to improving accessibility to francophone education by building more schools now to ensure all francophone students have the resources, spaces and opportunities they need to succeed.”

Budget 2025 is providing funding for a new K-6 school in southwest Edmonton as part of Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord, adding more than 340 student spaces. In Calgary, École de la Rose sauvage, part of the Conseil scolaire FrancoSud, will be renovated for its grades 7-12 students, adding more than 480 student spaces.

These two projects are part of the Alberta government’s $8.6-billion commitment to build more schools now. Once completed, these projects, along with the 13 francophone school projects that are already underway in Alberta, will provide much-needed classroom spaces for francophone students.

“By investing in new schools and increasing funding for francophone education, our government is reaffirming its commitment to strengthening French-speaking families and honouring the important role they play in Alberta’s rich francophone culture and heritage.”

Minister responsible for French Language Services Directorate John Streicker has issued the following statement:

“As Minister responsible for the French Language Services Directorate, I’m pleased to share that our government has renewed its partnership with the Government of Canada to continue increasing access to bilingual services across the Yukon.

“Through the renewed Canada-Yukon Agreement on minority-language services, we will receive $18.3 million over the next three years – an increase of over $1 million compared to the last three years. This continued federal support enables us to build on the progress we’ve made in enhancing access to French-language services and information for Yukoners.

“Over the last few years, our government has made significant strides to improve and modernize our approach to increasing access to public French-language services and information. This has led to an increase in services and information in French for the public, from long-term care, crime prevention and victim services, to more resources for Yukon families and caregivers. Opening the Centre de santé Constellation Health Centre and creating more online services, such as the campground reservation system, are great examples of our collaborative work.

“We’ll continue to build on our achievements and find new ways to increase access to timely services in French. To do this we can count on the Government of Canada, our long-standing partner. Since 1988, when the Yukon adopted its Languages Act, Canada has supported the planning and delivery of French-language services and information in the Yukon.

“This renewed support will help us to continue strengthening our resources and carrying on with building bilingual capacities within government. Of course, this funding will also be used to continue increasing public access to bilingual services and information. The Yukon public service is key to our success, as employees in designated bilingual positions provide services in French. When bilingual employees are not available, we rely on remote interpretation services.  We’ll keep leveraging technology, such as remote interpretation and online services, to achieve this goal.

“Lastly, we’ll engage with the public and stakeholders about French-language services and information to keep current with the evolving priorities of the growing Yukon Francophone community.

“Right now, Yukoners can fill out a survey at Yukon.ca/engagements to share their thoughts about access to French-language services, so our actions and investments can continue to be informed by the public.

“From the Government of Canada, the Francophone community, to the Yukon public service and all Yukoners, thank you for helping to create a welcoming and inclusive territory where everyone can thrive – now and for generations to come.” 

Learn more about the program here.

MCCF Francophone Economy Agora 2024 Report

Here is the report of the MCCF Francophone Economy Agora. It summarizes what was discussed and includes the suggestions made during the discussions and interventions, regardless of their feasibility.

The Government of Yukon is inviting Yukoners to share their input about access to French-language services and information. The goal is to understand how people use French-language services, identify what is working well and where access to services can be improved.

Yukoners can contribute their perspectives by filling out a survey in French or English. The public can fill out the survey online, call 867-667-8260 to provide their responses or complete it using a paper copy, available at locations across the territory such as Yukon Public Libraries. The responses will show trends in how Yukoners connect with government services and access information in French.

An engagement session is also planned with the Table de gouvernance de la Franco-Yukonnie to better understand how the government can best support the vitality of the growing Yukon Francophonie for generations to come. 

The feedback will help the Government of Yukon plan and prioritize its actions to keep enhancing timely access to French-language services and information in the coming years. The results will also shape the government’s 2025–28 strategic framework for French-language services.

The Government of Yukon is committed to ensuring Yukoners have access to the services they need. Increasing access to bilingual services and information supports the government in continuing to fulfil this commitment.

Yukoners have until April 24, 2025, to complete the survey. 

Minister responsible for French Language Services Directorate John Streicker has issued the following statement: 

“International Francophonie Day, observed annually on March 20, encourages us to take a moment to appreciate the richness and diversity of the French language and cultures here in the Yukon and around the world.

“This year marks the 55th edition of International Francophonie Day, highlighting the global Francophone community and the long-standing role it plays in enriching our cultural, social and economic landscape.

“In Canada, the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie is a nationwide celebration held every March surrounding International Francophonie Day. The Rendez-vous promotes the French language and the many ways people express it across Canada.

“This year’s theme, Cultivate your roots, is an opportunity to celebrate Canada’s vibrant Francophonie – to experience it, cultivate it and share it with others. The Yukon Francophonie embodies this year’s theme perfectly.

“Hearing the various accents of French spoken in the Yukon every day is a beautiful reminder of our growing and vibrant Francophone community. Every voice shares a story – of journeys, traditions and roots – weaving together a rich and diverse cultural tapestry that shapes our territory.

“Whether through music, improv, art or our daily conversations, the roots of our Francophonie are deep and, as we cultivate them, will continue to thrive for generations to come.

“I want to take this opportunity to recognize the community-based organizations who share and cultivate a dynamic Francophonie in the territory, from the Association franco-yukonnaise, Les Essentielles and the Fabrique d’improvisation du Nord, to the Société Historique Francophone du Yukon and many more.

“All year round, community-run events showcase the vibrancy and creativity of the Yukon Francophonie. To celebrate our local talents, I invite all Yukoners to take part in Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie events happening in the territory until the end of the month.

“Whether you attend any of these events or celebrate Yukon Francophonie another way, I wish you a Happy International Francophonie Day!”

The Government of Nunavut (GN) and Government of Canada (GoC) have signed an agreement on March 24, 2025, that will provide the GN with federal funding for French and Inuktut language services totalling $34.3 million from 2024-25 to 2027-28.

Under the new four-year agreement, $20.4 million is to support Inuktut language initiatives and $13.9 million is to support French language services. This funding will augment the GN’s current $11.3 million annual investment in the Inuit Language Implementation Fund, which will kickstart in 2025-2026.

“The Government of Nunavut is committed to working with our partners to prioritize the protection and promotion of Inuktut, and to support our three official languages,” said the Minister of Culture and Heritage, Premier P.J. Akeeagok. “This new funding coupled with the investments made by the Government of Nunavut will go a long way to advance the use of Inuktut and revitalize our mother-tongue.”

The B.C. government marked Journée de la francophonie with a celebration at the Parliament Buildings.

This annual event celebrates the social, cultural and economic contributions of francophones throughout the province.

This year’s celebration brought together community members and focused on highlighting the measures in place to support access to justice in French, the theme for this year’s B.C. Francophonie Day.

The Province proclaimed March 20, 2025, as B.C. Francophonie Day. Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, presented the official proclamation to la Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique. Dix also recognized l’Association des juristes d’expression française de la Colombie-Britannique for its contributions in advancing access to justice in French.

“Our government is proud to present this year’s B.C. Francophonie Day Award to the l’Association des juristes d’expression française de la Colombie-Britannique, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary,” Dix said. “These members of the Francophonie work tirelessly every day to support access to justice in French, and by doing so, make a significant difference in the lives of many, while strengthening the foundation of our democracy.” 

Alberta’s government is continuing to invest in improving access to programs and services for French-speaking Albertans.

The French language has been a foundational part of Alberta’s culture and heritage, contributing significantly to the Albertan identity. As the province’s French-speaking community has grown to more than 261,000 people, it is vital to preserve and support this foundational part of Alberta’s societal fabric.

Enhancing French-language services and sustaining Alberta’s Francophone heritage are crucial as the province’s francophone community grows. If passed, Budget 2025 would invest more than $4 million to support initiatives that boost French resources and broaden access to cultural and educational experiences in French.

“By investing in French-language services, we are not only strengthening support for our francophone community but also ensuring that all Albertans can connect with and celebrate our shared history and heritage. We are ensuring Albertans can access government services, from family resource networks to research and archival services, in the language of their choice.”

On March 5, 2025, the Honourable Terry Duguid, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced a federal investment of $1,557,150 for three projects to support the economic growth of Manitoba’s Francophone and bilingual communities. These projects will help strengthen the Francophone labour market in bilingual municipalities and provide support for Francophone tourism entrepreneurs in the province. Over 200 jobs will be created or maintained, and more than 100 small- and medium-sized businesses across Manitoba will benefit.

Of note, $1.2 million in funding will support the work of the Association des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba Inc. (AMBM) to determine labour force needs, strengthen the cultural capacities of employers, and connect them with newcomers, Indigenous people and youth.

These investments are administered by PrairiesCan and provided through the Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) and Tourism Growth Program (TGP).

Projects receiving support:

• AMBM is receiving $1,200,000 to strengthen the labour market in rural bilingual municipalities in Manitoba.
• Le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba (CDEM) is receiving $200,000 to support Francophone tourism entrepreneurs in Manitoba.
• Entreprises Riel Inc. is receiving $157,150 to support outdoor cultural and recreational Francophone summer tourism experiences.