Unprecedented collaboration: Essential services support the vitality of official language minority communities.
HALIFAX, NS, Aug. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Canada's linguistic wealth and is committed to helping ensure that all Canadians can thrive in the official language of their choice.
Today, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, announced $227.9-million investment over five years to support the health of services offered in official language minority communities. The investment was made through bilateral agreements with provincial and territorial governments.
It covers a number of key areas including health care, judicial services, newcomer integration and other essential services. French-language services provided by government departments and agencies are critical in promoting bilingualism and the equality of status of both official languages. Bilateral agreements have recently been signed with Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
This collaborative approach reinforces the crucial role that provincial and territorial governments play as essential partners in helping develop fulfilling living environments in minority communities.
This investment reaffirms the federal government's commitment to working with the provinces and territories to ensure that official language minority communities can receive the services they need in their official language
Quotes
"Canadians across the country deserve and expect access to services in both official languages. Our investment today ensures this and confirms our support for the vitality of official language minority communities throughout Canada.
– The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
Quick Facts
The federal government has made $142.4 million available over five years (2023–2028) to provincial governments through bilateral agreements for minority language services. Each agreement is based on equitable cost sharing.
This means that the province assumes half the eligible expenses while the federal government commits to providing the other half. The federal government will also devote $85.5 million over five years to the territorial governments for French-language services.
This funding includes the historic Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028 investment, which provides provinces with a funding increase of as much as $98.2 million over five years.
We continue to work with all provinces and territories, including jurisdictions that do not have an agreement in place to support the provision of minority language services.
The Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration provides $4.1 billion to support seven departments and 33 new or enhanced initiatives aimed at protecting and promoting the country's official languages.
On June 20, 2023, An Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada's Official Languages received Royal Assent. Among other things, the Act aims to address the decline of French in Canada and to clarify and strengthen the promotion of the official languages and bilingualism while supporting official language minority communities.
Associated Links
Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration
Supporting services in the minority language and promoting the Canadian Francophonie
Intergovernmental Cooperation on Minority-Language Services
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Mathis Denis, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, mathis.denis@hrsdcrhdcc.gc.ca; Media Relations: Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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