Five recommendations from the franco-ontarian community for the federal budget

Ottawa, August 25, 2025 – As part of the federal government’s pre-budget consultations, the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO) submitted the Franco-Ontarian community’s recommendations to Canada’s Minister of Finance, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne.

It presents five priority recommendations aimed at strengthening funding equity, addressing the shortage of bilingual workers, and ensuring the full implementation of the modernized Official Languages Act.

“Ontario is home to the largest Francophone minority population in the country. Yet our community continues to receive an insufficient share of federal resources, even as its needs grow. The federal government has the opportunity to correct these imbalances and fully recognize the contribution of Ontario’s Francophonie to Canada’s economic, social, and cultural development,” said Fabien Hébert, President of the AFO.

The following recommendations have been submitted to the federal government:

— That the Government of Canada, in collaboration with provinces, territories, and community stakeholders, develop and implement a National Action Plan on the Francophone and Bilingual Workforce focused on accelerated skills recognition, bilingual training development, interprovincial mobility, and the sustainable integration of francophone immigration.

— That Canadian Heritage address Ontario’s chronic underfunding within the Community Life – Programming stream of the Action Plan for Official Languages, by supporting the community renewal process undertaken through the États généraux of the Franco-Ontarian community, in order to consolidate existing structures and strengthen the capacity of Franco-Ontarian organizations to sustainably meet the population’s needs.

— That the Government of Canada make the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and all bilateral health and aging agreements subject to enforceable language clauses, in accordance with Part VII of the Official Languages Act. These agreements should also require the mandatory collection and transmission of linguistic variables (mother tongue, language most often spoken at home, first official language, language of service) to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), in order to measure and ensure the real access of official language minority communities to health and senior care services across all provinces and territories.

— That the Government of Canada make permanent and enhance additional contributions to the minority-language postsecondary sector, increasing funding to $80 million per year to support the vitality of institutions, expand their capacity to offer programs in French, and strengthen their collaboration with the Franco-Ontarian community, as promised in 2021.

— That the Government of Canada strengthen and stabilize funding for francophone women’s organizations in minority settings to promote gender equality, support their economic autonomy, and ensure their full participation in community life and the development of the country.

The AFO remains available to continue collaborating with the Government of Canada, in the best interests of the country and of Franco-Ontarians.

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CONTACT INFORMATION:
Grace Selenga
Corporate Communications Manager
(613) 878-3026
gselenga@monassemblee.ca