May 27, 2019 - Clare, NS - The municipality of Clare has been selected as a Welcoming Francophone Community as part of the Government of Canada's Action Plan for Official Languages.
Under the Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative, a total of 14 communities across Canada will receive funding so they can create programs and activities to help French-speaking newcomers feel welcomed and integrated into Francophone minority communities. This initiative of $12.6 million over 3 years was announced in Budget 2018 to support the integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers in Canada.
The new Meeting Our Objectives: Francophone Immigration Strategy, announced on March 13, 2019, is a collaborative approach with federal, provincial, territorial and community partners, an approach described as "by and for Francophones". It seeks to enhance the vitality of official-language minority communities through immigration, specifically by increasing the proportion of French-speaking permanent residents outside of Quebec, supporting the integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers, and building the capacity of Francophone communities.
"Francophone communities open up their hearts to welcome French-speaking newcomers to Canada. Clare municipality will be able to be even more inviting to Francophone immigrants so they can feel welcome and where they will have more opportunities to make Canada their home. Through the launch of the Francophone Immigration Strategy, we are committed to increasing the proportion of French-speaking immigrants in Francophone minority communities."
- The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
"This new federal initiative supports the efforts of many organizations and businesses within the municipality of Clare to attract and retain Francophone immigrants. Welcoming more Francophones into our Acadian communities will help maintain and grow our local workforce and ensure the long-term needs of our community are met."
- Colin Fraser, MP for West Nova
"The Fédération acadienne is delighted with this initiative of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which aims to cultivate the vitality of our community by promoting the integration and retention of French-speaking newcomers to the municipality of Clare."
- Marie-Clause Rioux, Executive Director of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse
Quick facts
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Francophone Welcoming Communities initiative
- The initiative is a pilot project co-led by IRCC and Francophone communities, which include the 13 Réseaux en immigration francophone, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) and the Comité atlantique sur l'immigration francophone (CAIF).
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Meeting Our Objectives: Francophone Immigration Strategy
- A number of initiatives under the new strategy are already under way, including those announced by the Minister in November 2018 as part of National Francophone Immigration Week.
- As of December 2018, 4.5% of Express Entry invitations to apply were issued to French-speaking candidates, compared to 2.9% in 2017.
