Ontario Selects Organization to Create Francophone Business Network

TORONTO – The Ontario government announced today that the Club canadien de Toronto has been selected to develop the Francophone Business Network. This new province-wide innovative online platform will help entrepreneurs share their expertise and best practices and form new strategic partnerships. The province is investing $250,000 to support the development of the Network.

“Our government is proud to support Franco-Ontarian economic development,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs. “The Francophone Business Network will play a central role in connecting francophone businesses and entrepreneurs and strengthening ties within the francophone business community.”

The Club canadien de Toronto was selected based on its strategic alliances and collaborative efforts with several key players of the Franco-Ontarian business community, which will ensure the Network can be launched quickly and that its services and activities meet the business community’s pressing needs. The call for proposals for the creation of the Network was issued in September 2020.

“The Club canadien de Toronto is honoured by the Ministry of Francophone Affairs’ expression of confidence in the Club through today’s announcement,” said Dominic Mailloux, President of the Club canadien de Toronto. “The Club would like to thank the government for its ground-breaking and defining contribution, without which the Francophone Business Network could not have been created.”

The Network’s services will include a mentoring and training service for member businesses, a database of francophone entrepreneurs and businesses in the province, and a concierge service to facilitate referrals and increase business opportunities. The Network will also collect key data and develop a profile of Ontario’s francophone economy.

Quick Facts

• The Club canadien de Toronto’s mission is to provide networking opportunities for Toronto’s Francophones and Francophiles. It aims to unite the larger Francophone community in the business, academic, cultural and government sectors.
• The launch of the Francophone Business Network is expected no later than March 31, 2021.
• This initiative directly responds to primary issues identified by the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Francophone Economic Recovery Post COVID-19.
• The Ministerial Advisory Committee was set up last spring by the Minister of Francophone Affairs in order to identify the challenges and issues affecting Francophone businesses and organizations during the pandemic and propose innovative solutions.
• The Ontario government is also investing $250,000 to support a campaign promoting Franco-Ontarian products and services.
• The Ontario government announced in its 2020 Budget an investment of $2 million over two years through the COVID-19 Relief Fund for Francophone Non-Profit Organizations as well as a new working group between the Ministry of Francophone Affairs and the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario, to support Franco-Ontarian organizations.