Social Locations – French-language
Equity Framework > Social Locations > French-language
In Toronto, Francophone people are part of an official language minority community [1]. Francophones make up 4.7% of the Ontario population. Toronto is home to 10% of Ontario’s Francophone population. Almost 45% of Francophone newcomers arrive to Canada from Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East. More than half of the Francophone youth in Toronto identify as visible minorities [2].
Francophone communities have unique rights and needs related to maintaining their language and culture. These factors include accessing culturally-relevant services, which impact the well-being of Francophone communities. The French Language Services Act mandates that the provincial government offers services in French in designated areas throughout the province. This includes Toronto, where there are significant numbers of Franco-Ontarian residents. The reasons for the legislation are that:
- French language is a historic language in Ontario
- French is an official language in Canada
- The Act recognizes the cultural heritage of the French-speaking population. It wishes to preserve it for future generations [3].
To learn more about to child and family well-being disaggregated by parental and student language, please visit the Equity Analysis Toolkit page on Raising the Village.
References
- Government of Canada (2013). Communities: What is an official language minority community (OLMCs)? Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/com-com.nsf/eng/h_01223.html
- Government of Ontario (2020, January 17). Profile of the Francophone population in Ontario – 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/profile-francophone-population-ontario-2016#section-1
- French Language Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.32. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90f32