TORONTO – The Government of Ontario is providing $ 1 million to 30 organizations under the 2020-2021 Support for the Ontario Francophonie Program. The projects, selected through a competitive process, cover several key sectors including health and wellness, information technology, community services, arts and culture. Each of these projects will celebrate and equip Ontario’s Francophone community.
The announcement was made today by Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs.
“Our government recognizes that Ontario’s Francophone community represents an important economic lever and that Francophone entrepreneurs and businesses greatly contribute to Ontario’s prosperity,” said Minister Mulroney. “That is why we are supporting organizations that serve Francophones throughout the pandemic and that contribute to the vitality of the Franco-Ontarian community.”
The Support for the Ontario Francophonie Program helps support the vitality of the Franco-Ontarian community by focusing on the promotion of the French language and the socio-economic development of the Francophone community in Ontario. This program aims to improve front-line services and strengthen the capacity of organizations to offer services in French.
Grant recipients are located in communities across Ontario and have developed initiatives such as workshops for Francophone immigrants, webinars to train health professionals in the North of the province, translation services for rural farming communities and the purchase of equipment to allow the virtual broadcasting of artistic performances in French.
The selected projects will take place from October 15, 2020 and must end no later than March 31, 2021.
Today’s announcement reflects the Government of Ontario’s commitment to Francophone community and economic development and follows a recently announced government investment of $ 500,000 to support the creation of a Francophone economic network and to promote Franco-Ontarian goods and services.