Francophone communities to discover in Canada
Quebec remains the province of choice for many French speakers looking to settle in Canada. However, many other provinces and territories also have significant and vibrant francophone communities. Immetis invites you to discover them!
ONTARIO: THE MOST WELL-KNOWN
Ontario is a dynamic province that is home to Toronto, the country’s largest city, as well as the capital, Ottawa.
Ontario’s French-speaking community is the largest in the country after that of La Belle Province. In fact, French is the first language of 533,560 residents in the province, representing nearly 4% of the population!
In Ontario, there are 26 designated regions where it is possible to receive government services in French. These are areas where Francophones make up at least 10% of the population, or cities with at least 5,000 Francophone residents. This includes cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and the District of Sudbury. This initiative provides an improved quality of life for Francophones, especially for those who are not fluent in English.
There are more than 450 public francophone schools in the province, as well as private institutions. So, if you want your child to study in French, it’s entirely possible! Some post-secondary institutions also offer programs in French.
The local economy is highly diversified. The most prominent sectors include automotive, aerospace, high technology, as well as professional and financial services.
NEW BRUNSWICK: THE MOST WELCOMING
New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada. This quieter province offers a unique quality of life for Francophones, who make up more than 30% of its population. Francophones are mainly concentrated in the Acadian region.
Because the province is officially bilingual, there is a wide selection of public schools available in both French and English. Higher education is also accessible in both languages. For example, the Université de Moncton is the largest exclusively francophone university outside Quebec and offers more than 200 academic programs.
The francophone community is well-developed in this province, and many organizations and associations support the integration of newcomers.
The province’s economy is dominated by the services and industrial sectors, but it also remains closely tied to natural resources.
ALBERTA: THE CLOSEST TO THE MOUNTAINS
More than 72,000 Francophones live in Alberta, representing nearly 2% of the province’s population. It is the third largest Francophone community in Canada (outside Quebec), and its size has been steadily growing for the past twenty years.
A directory of healthcare professionals offering services in French is available on the Réseau santé Alberta website. The list includes over 700 professionals practicing in the province.
Several associations and organizations are in place to support the integration of Francophone newcomers in the province. The main one is the French-Canadian Association of Alberta (ACFA), founded in 1926.
The province’s main employment sectors are construction, mining and oil or gas extraction, manufacturing, and education.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: THE WESTERNMOST
British Columbia is home to the fourth largest Francophone community in the country, outside Quebec. In fact, 65,568 residents have French as their first language, representing 1.3% of the province’s population.
Francophones are not concentrated in specific regions; they are spread throughout the province.
The BC Francophone Federation (FFCB) is the official spokesperson organization for the province’s Francophone community. It promotes and represents the interests of Francophones, as well as the preservation of their linguistic and cultural heritage, through around fifty organizations spread across the province.
British Columbia is also home to a Welcoming Francophone Community (CFA), located in the northern city of Prince George.
The province’s economy is mainly based on the healthcare, tourism, manufacturing, and professional services sectors.
WELCOMING FRANCOPHONE COMMUNITIES
The Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative is a project funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The initiative initially included 14 Francophone communities across various provinces and territories in the country, with 10 additional communities added in August 2024.
These communities offer services to French-speaking newcomers to help them settle and carry out their new life projects. Funding is provided to support the creation of connections and the integration of newcomers into the provinces.
For example, there are three CFAs in Ontario (Hawkesbury, Sudbury, and Hamilton), one in New Brunswick in the Haut-Saint-Jean region, and one in Alberta in Calgary.
BEING FRANCOPHONE: AN OPPORTUNITY TO SETTLE OUTSIDE QUEBEC
So, while Quebec remains very attractive to many French speakers, other provinces have a lot to offer. Beyond French-language services, all provinces offer the possibility of accessing free language courses under certain conditions to help you fully integrate into local life.
The Canadian government has expressed its commitment to promoting francophone immigration in other provinces, which can help make your settlement in Canada easier. Several facilitated immigration pathways may be available to you. Whether through a work permit or permanent residency, two distinct options, your command of the French language will be a valuable asset.
Feel free to contact us about your immigration project outside Quebec!