Post-secondary institutions that provide quality education make an important contribution to the vitality of Francophone minority communities. The Government of Canada is investing in French education, to strengthen the education system and ensure support for the training of a qualified bilingual workforce.
Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, along with the Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament (Ottawa-Vanier), announced an investment along with the Government of Ontario of more than $34.7 million for the University of Ottawa for five projects supporting French-language post-secondary education.
Improving, expanding and structuring the delivery of French-language post-secondary programs
New bachelor's degrees, entirely in French, will be developed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as a way to improve French services and preserve the vitality of the French language. The university will also create several French programs in priority areas, such as health and management, where there is little or no French instruction in the province and across the country.
The University of Ottawa also plans to gradually hire 20 French-speaking professors over a two-year period to improve access to research laboratories in French.
Finally, the University of Ottawa will continue to convert programs to French, including certain third- and fourth-year science and engineering courses that are not offered in French. This will allow Francophones and Francophiles to pursue their studies entirely in French.
The Government of Canada is allocating $14,081,845 over two years to this project while the Government of Ontario is allocating $7,955,536 over the same timeframe.
Recruitment and access to teacher training at the University of Ottawa
The shortage of French-speaking teachers is an issue across the country. Concrete solutions are needed to address this shortage. One of the projects supported aims to create an awareness, recruitment and teacher training strategy to attract more Canadian university students to the teacher training program in French.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing $835,938 over two years to this project.
Technological Education Teacher Training at the University of Ottawa
Aimed at increasing the number of French-speaking teachers in the country, this project will support the creation of a French-language technological education teacher training program for two cohorts of at least 10 students each, with the aim of possibly increasing the capacity of the program.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing $400,000 to this project.
Creating a centre of excellence for French-language education at the University of Ottawa
The creation of a centre of excellence for French-language education at the University of Ottawa will offer high-quality education specifically adapted to Francophone students in a minority setting. Open to Francophone minority communities in Ontario and throughout Canada, the centre will offer a state-of-the-art learning experience, through innovation and experiment-focused workshops and classrooms, training spaces and the creation and development of educational resources.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing $3,259,360 to this project.
Developing laboratory facilities for French-language health sciences programs at the University of Ottawa
The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of having the proper infrastructure for programs targeting official language minority communities. This project aims to modernize the space and equipment required for four new teaching spaces in the nursing sciences simulation laboratory, the virtual reality and immersive training laboratory, the nutrition science teaching laboratory and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Teaching Laboratory. Bringing these programs together in one building and improving the quality of these new teaching labs will enhance the student experience and better prepare them for their internships and professional practice.
The governments of Canada and Ontario are each investing $1,846,500 over two years in this project.
Today's announcement complements efforts to modernize the Official Languages Act, promote equality between French and English in Canadian society and strengthen official language minority communities.
