The Government of Canada selected Prince George as a Welcoming Francophone Community as part of the Government of Canada’s Action Plan for Official Languages. Francophone Welcoming Communities 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).

A total of 14 communities across Canada will receive funding to create programs and activities to help French-speaking newcomers feel welcomed and integrated into Francophone communities. Announced in Budget 2018, the initiative counts with $12.6 million over 3 years of the project.

Robert Rothon, Executive Director of Fédération des francophones de la Colombie-Britannique, said “The British Columbia Francophone community and the members of the RIFCB (Francophone Immigration Network of British Columbia) are going to combine their efforts for this initiative in Prince George to be successful, so that Francophone newcomers feel welcome, can thrive in French and firmly establish themselves there.”

Several initiatives under the new strategy are already underway, including those announced by the Minister in November 2018 as part of National Francophone Immigration Week. The initiative 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. Prince George 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.” said Ahmed Hussen, The Honourable Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.