Let’s talk about French-language schools and newcomers

French-Language Education (FLE) in Ontario pursues an important social mission based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In addition to ensuring the academic, personal and professional success of its students, FLE is dedicated to conveying and promoting the French language and the culture of the Francophone community in Ontario. FLE is the social instrument that guarantees the prosperity of the Francophone community in Ontario, as well as in Canada’s other provinces.

FLE’s primary mission is to support the success of each pupil and student. Thus, French-language school boards, Francophone colleges and bilingual universities, in partnership with various organizations, offer many programs and services in French, which are geared not only towards students, but also towards their parents.

Welcoming newcomers to Ontario

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Let’s talk about immigration to Canada

This post follows the one I wrote on the new awareness campaign launched by the French-Language Education (FLE) network that targets Francophone newcomers and immigrants. Let’s take a look at statistics on immigration to Canada.

• Immigration is one of the most important factors that contribute to the growth of the Canadian population and the evolution of the linguistic situation in Canada.
• According to the results of the 2006 Census, close to one in five Canadians was born abroad, representing a workforce of 6.2 million people.
• Between 2001 and 2006, Canada welcomed approximately 1.1 million newcomers, which represented a 13.6% increase in its immigrant population, compared to a 3.3% increase in its population born in Canada.

In September 2006, the Steering Committee on Citizenship and Immigration Canada – Minority Francophone communities published the Strategic Plan to Foster Immigration to Francophone Minority Communities.

The main objectives of this plan are to increase the immigration of French-speaking people to Francophone minority communities, and to facilitate their social, cultural and economic integration in these communities. Read more…

Since 2008, members of the French-language education (FLE) network in Ontario have successfully spearheaded various initiatives aimed at making Ontario citizens aware of the many advantages offered by the FLE network and the concrete results it generates. Today, a new social media awareness campaign has been launched to inform newly-arrived Francophones about French-language education.

I will provide some statistics on immigration in Ontario in my next post, but remember that Ontario is home to the largest Francophone community outside Québec, with 1 in 20 Ontarians being Francophone. Of the 600,000 people who make up this strong and diverse community, 40% are not native to Ontario, 14% come from abroad, 10% belong to a visible minority, and 22% arrived between 2001 and 2006. Read more…

You want to register your child in a French-language school?  The FLE schools welcome all students looking for high quality French-language education. Below is a list of the  information sessions to be held in the various boards.  You can click on the following links for more information.

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Ontario School Boards

Ontario’s 72 District School Boards are made up of 31 English-language public boards, 29 English-language Catholic boards, 4 French-language public boards, and 8 French-language Catholic boards. As well, a small number of Ontario schools are operated by School Authorities, which manage special types of schools, such as schools in hospitals and treatment facilities, as well as in remote and sparsely-populated regions.

I invite you to discover French-language school boards. Read more…

Sorry, this entry is only available in Français.