Government of Canada Announces Support for Official Language Organizations in British Columbia Français
The Government of Canada invests more than $209,000 in 11 organizations that support official languages in British Columbia
VANCOUVER, BC, July 29, 2021 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to supporting our country's two official languages, and continues to make strategic investments that strengthen and celebrate our linguistic duality.
Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario and Official Languages), announced today an investment of more than $209,000 in 11 organizations across British Columbia through the Department of Canadian Heritage's Official Languages Support Programs (see attached backgrounder). She made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.
This funding will allow Francophones and Francophiles in British Columbia to promote the development of their unique cultures and communities, learn and study in French, take part in artistic and cultural activities, improve access to French-language services and engage with youth.
These investments support a wide range of organizations and provide sustained, multi-year funding for important community-based initiatives. For example, l'Assemblée francophone des retraité(e)s et aîné(e)s de la Colombie-Britannique will deliver a project entitled D'histoires en images, showcasing the literary and visual arts talents of seniors and retirees across the province through the creation of a new book.
Budget 2021 will provide $392 million to support official language minority communities across the country, to achieve greater levels of bilingualism; make high-quality post-secondary minority-language education available across Canada; support the construction, renovation and expansion of the educational and community spaces that serve official language minority communities and modernize the Official Languages Act.
"The Government of Canada recognizes that official language minority communities across the country have their own specific realities and needs. As a result, we are making investments that will have real, meaningful impacts on the lives of Francophones and Francophiles as well as their communities. I am thrilled to see that this funding will support official language projects, services and activities for British Columbians."
—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages
"Our government knows how vital community organizations are to maintaining a dynamic Francophone culture, which is why we are pleased to be supporting every one of these organizations across British Columbia. Today's announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting the promotion, preservation and development of our country's unique linguistic duality."
—Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario and Official Languages)
"Thanks to this financial support from the Department of Canadian Heritage, our organization is currently implementing an initiative that encourages the engagement of seniors in arts and culture activities here in British Columbia. We are very grateful to the Government of Canada for contributing to the vitality of Francophone seniors. This commitment at the federal level is significant and demonstrates its strong interest in official language communities."
— Joanne Dumas, President, Assemblée francophone des retraité(e)s et aîné(e)s de la Colombie-Britannique
British Columbia has the fourth largest Francophone community in Canada. French is the first official language of 1.4 percent of the population, with seven percent of residents being able to speak both English and French. Nearly 6,000 students study in French language schools in the province, a 25-percent increase over the past five years.
On February 19, 2021, in the document English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada, Minister Joly unveiled the Government of Canada's intentions to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act and related instruments. This document proposes a range of changes and new measures to achieve a new linguistic balance in the country.
The Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future includes an unprecedented investment of $2.7 billion over five years, including $500 million in new funding, to support official language minority communities and promote bilingualism across the country.
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Backgrounder
| CLIENT NAME |
PROJECT |
TOTAL ALLOCATION IN 2021–2022 |
| ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE VANCOUVER |
Il était une fois Vancouver
|
$14,000
|
| ALLIANCE FRANCOPHONE ET FRANCOPHILE DU GREATER VANCOUVER & FRASER VALLEY
|
Festival de contes et de légendes d'ici et d'ailleurs
|
$20,000 |
| ASSEMBLÉE FRANCOPHONE DES RETRAITÉ(E)S ET AÎNÉ(E)S DE LA COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE
|
L'histoire au bout des doigts
|
$9,000 |
| ASSEMBLÉE FRANCOPHONE DES RETRAITÉ(E)S ET AÎNÉ(E)S DE LA COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE
|
D'histoires en images
|
$16,245
|
| ASSOCIATION DES FRANCOPHONES ET FRANCOPHILES DU NORD-OUEST |
La réconciliation du retour à la normale |
$19,400 |
| ASSOCIATION DES FRANCOPHONES DES KOOTENAYS OUEST
|
"La valise ambulante : nos racines, notre langue"
|
$3,225 |
| ASSOCIATION DES FRANCOPHONES DES KOOTENAYS OUEST
|
Balado des Kootenays Ouest
|
$10,307
|
| CONSEIL CULTUREL ET ARTISTIQUE FRANCOPHONE DE LA COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE
|
Correspondances sonores à travers la Colombie-Britannique
|
$25,760
|
| FÉDÉRATION DES PARENTS FRANCOPHONES DE COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE
|
Accompagnement, démarrage et maintien de garderies francophones via les services du Phare Colombie-Britannique
|
$22,400
|
| RÉSEAU-FEMMES COLOMBIE-BRITANNIQUE
|
Les Éloquentes au-devant de la scène
|
$10,000 |
| SOCIÉTÉ FRANCOPHONE DE VICTORIA
|
Troupe de l'Aube nouvelle
|
$11,100 |
| SOCIÉTÉ RADIO COMMUNAUTAIRE VICTORIA
|
Une semaine, une voix
|
$2,000 |
| SOCIÉTÉ RADIO COMMUNAUTAIRE VICTORIA
|
Les débats jeunesse
|
$7,525 |
| VISIONS OUEST PRODUCTIONS
|
Les enjeux 2019-2021, Transition / Succession et consolidation de Visions Ouest Productions
|
$5,000 |
| VISIONS OUEST PRODUCTIONS
|
Déploiement du cinéma virtuel francophone en Colombie-Britannique |
$33,375
|
| TOTAL |
|
$209,337 |
Action Plan for Official Languages 2018-2023: Investing in Our Future
Budget 2021 (Official Languages)
English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada
Official Languages Support Programs
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only), please contact: Catherine Mounier-Desrochers, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, 613-295-3617, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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