Supporting access to French-language services in Alberta

Governments of Canada and Alberta provide significant financial support to Francophones in Alberta

ALBERTA, AB, Dec. 16, 2024 /CNW/ - Canada's bilingualism is a source of national pride and unity and an expression of our identity.

Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, along with the Government of Alberta, announced the ratification of the Canada-Alberta Agreement on French-Language Services from 2023–24 to 2027–28. This agreement provides a federal financial contribution totalling more than $11,200,000 to the province over five years.

By supporting province-wide planning and delivery of services, this funding makes accessing French-language services in Alberta easier and contributes to the vitality of the Franco-Albertan community. These funds will support key provincial sectors, including economic development, the arts, culture and heritage, health and physical activity, justice, immigration, and social services and community support.

French-language services actively provided by government departments and agencies are critical to the promotion of bilingualism and the equal status of both official languages. Over the past year, the federal government has signed 10 new intergovernmental cooperation agreements on minority-language services.

Today's announcement speaks to that progress and reinforces the crucial role that provincial and territorial governments play as essential partners in helping to 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 receive the services they need in their own language.

Quotes

"All Canadians should have access to government services and programs in one of Canada's official languages. That's why we're investing more than $11.2 million over 5 years in the Canada-Alberta Agreement on French-Language Services from 2023–2024 to 2027–2028 to strengthen support of our official languages. This investment will help Albertans to access essential provincial services in the official language of their choice."

—The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

"Alberta's government is proud to support the French language within the province, and we are very proud to have secured a fair funding agreement with Ottawa that will help support French services across the province, on top of the millions already invested across government for French language services."

—Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

Quick Facts

The Government of Canada 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 investment in the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028, which provides provinces with a funding increase of as much as $98.2 million over five years.

The Government of Canada continues to work with all provinces and territories, including those 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 for a total investment of $4.1 billion to support 7 departments and 33 new or enhanced measures 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. The Act aims to address the decline of French in Canada and to clarify and strengthen the promotion of 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: Wyatt Westover, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, [email protected]