Ontario Supports the Cultural and Economic Vitality of French-Speaking Communities

With twice the funds, the 2021-22 Francophone Community Grants Program helps more francophone not-for-profit community organizations and businesses across the province.

TORONTO — The Ontario government is providing a total of $2 million in project-based funding to 51 organizations serving the francophone community through the 2021-22 Francophone Community Grants Program, twice the investment of prior years.

Today’s announcement reflects the Ontario government’s ongoing commitment to the province’s francophone community and aligns with the overarching Francophone Economic Development Strategy, which seeks to support francophone entrepreneurship, strengthen Ontario’s bilingual workforce, and promote Ontario’s francophonie as an economic asset.

This year’s projects, selected through a competitive process, span several key sectors, including business and entrepreneurship, arts and culture, community services, education and training, health and wellness, and tourism. Each project provides opportunities to promote and further empower Ontario’s francophone community.

“Ontario recognizes the significant contributions of francophones to the province’s development and is committed to ensuring they receive the investment they need to thrive,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Francophone Affairs. “This year, we are providing unprecedented support to francophone not-for-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, and businesses to help them implement projects and initiatives that directly benefit Ontario’s French-speaking communities and contribute to Ontario’s overall prosperity.”

This year’s funding of $2 million will help support a greater number of projects and aims to:

1. strengthen the capacity of organizations and/or businesses to provide products and services to francophones in Ontario;
2. promote the recruitment and/or training of bilingual francophone staff, and;
3. provide opportunities to celebrate and foster understanding of Ontario’s francophonie.

Grant recipients are located in communities throughout Ontario. Initiatives funded through the 2021-22 edition include the recruitment and training of francophone and bilingual workers, the development of French-language services for francophone women, youth, seniors and newcomers, as well as exhibits, festivals and events showcasing local francophone talent and history.

Selected projects begin September 24, 2021 and end by March 31, 2022.

Quick Facts

• The Francophone Community Grants Program features an Economic Development Stream supporting francophone entrepreneurs and businesses and a Community and Culture Stream supporting local community and cultural initiatives.
• As part of the 2021 Ontario Budget, the Province doubled the Program’s funding, through an additional investment of $3 million over three years for a total investment of $6 million, to better meet the increased need and demand for support from community organizations, including social enterprise and small businesses, serving Ontario’s francophone community across all regions of the province.
• To support its francophone communities through the COVID-19 pandemic, Ontario is providing an additional $1 million in 2021-22 for the COVID-19 Relief Fund for Francophone Non-Profit Organizations to assist hard-hit francophone non-profit organizations, for a total of investment of $3 million since 2020-21.

Source Province of Ontario