The Université de l'Ontario français (UOF), the Centre francophone du Grand Toronto (CFGT) and the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration program at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are pleased to collaborate on the creation of Canada's first Observatory on Francophone Immigration in Canada. Twenty representatives from community groups and academia gathered at the CFGT on November 8, 2023, to lay the groundwork for the governance and programming of this Observatory, which will aim to mobilize, expand and consolidate knowledge on francophone immigration in Canada. It will provide policy-makers, researchers and practitioners with analyses, data and tools to support and promote francophone immigration in a minority context in Canada.
The Observatory will continue its strategic planning over the next five months, thanks to funding from the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada. The UOF congratulates the members of the steering committee on this first success, and the CFGT on its warm welcome.
The Observatory will play an essential role in the development of Francophonie in Ontario and Canada for years to come. The UOF is pleased to host the Observatory. Francophone immigration is one of its research and teaching priorities.
UOF hosts a Fall School on Language Statistics in Canada
The inauguration of the Observatory on Francophone Immigration in Canada is the opening event of the first Fall School on Language Statistics in Immigration, which will take place at the UOF on November 9 and 10, 2023. A total of 25 participants have been chosen to take part in this initiative. On this occasion, Jean-Pierre Corbeil, Université Laval's Observatoire démographique et statistique de l'espace francophone (ODSEF), will provide training.
Participants will have the opportunity to receive cutting-edge training that will provide them with the tools they need to make optimal use of the data from the 2021 population census, in particular those concerning language and the socio-economic integration of immigrants, as well as immigration trends in the various provinces and regions of the country, including Toronto.
We would like to thank the ODSEF and the Secrétariat québécois aux relations canadiennes for their financial contribution to this event. Finally, special thanks to IRCC for its crucial funding, without which the Observatory would not have been possible.
Excellence in integrating newcomers - Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto at the heart of the action
"This new Observatory will become an essential tool to ensure the successful integration of Francophone newcomers. It complements our mandate by leveraging the concrete data we collect through our newcomer programs," says Florence Ngenzebuhoro, CEO of the CFGT.
The CFGT stands out for its excellent services that facilitate the adaptation and integration of French-speaking immigrants in the Greater Toronto Area, thus contributing significantly to the city's diversity and cultural richness.
About the Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto
The Centre francophone du Grand Toronto (CFGT) is the gateway for Francophones moving to or living in the Greater Toronto Area. The CFGT provides a wide range of programs and services such as health care, mental health, settlement and integration assistance for newcomers, employment support, legal aid, early childhood, youth and family development, as well as housing assistance. Through its leadership, the CFGT contributes to a pluralist and inclusive francophonie, promoting access to French-language services in 9 points of service in the Greater Toronto Area, including multilingual reception services at Pearson Airport and new early childhood service points in York Region.
About the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration program, TMU
The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration program is the first-ever CERC awarded to Toronto Metropolitan University by the Government of Canada. The program builds on the university's strengths and commitments in the area of immigration and settlement studies. The CERC in Migration and Integration is producing innovative and usable knowledge on the links between migration and postmigration processes, forced and voluntary mobility, internal and international migration, and the role of countries of origin and transit. The program pays special attention to Canadian realities while also engaging in comparative research with and among other countries in various global regions.
About the Université de l'Ontario français
With its bachelor's degrees, short programs and certificates, the UOF offers training focused on current issues such as immigration, diversity and inclusion, constant digital innovation and the sustainable and equitable development of our societies and the environment. Based in downtown Toronto, students take courses, complete assignments and gain work experience that opens doors to many companies looking for qualified bilingual personnel.
