The Seine River Region selected as a Welcoming Francophone Community

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

News release

March 15, 2019 — Lorette, MB — The Seine River Region has been selected as a Welcoming Francophone Community as part 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 support 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 Francophone immigration strategy, Meeting Our Objectives: Francophone Immigration Strategy, 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 and 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.

Quotes

“Francophone communities open up their hearts to welcome French-speaking newcomers to Canada. The Seine River Region 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 increase the proportion of French-speaking immigrants in Francophone minority communities such as Lorette, Dufresne, Ste. Anne, La Broquerie, Richer and Ste. Geneviève.”

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

“The selection of the Seine River Region will make for a more diverse, stronger Francophone community supporting our workforce and community needs. We welcome more Francophones to make Lorette, Dufresne, Ste. Anne, La Broquerie, Richer or Ste. Geneviève their forever home.”

– Dan Vandal, MP, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital

“The Francophone community, through its partners in Francophone Immigration, is proud of the role it continues to play as a ‘Welcoming Francophone Community’. The Seine River Region is well suited as a partner in our strategy to welcome more and more French-speaking newcomers to rural Manitoba. We thank Minister Ahmed Hussen and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for their support of this important initiative.”

– Daniel Boucher, Director General, Société de la Francophonie manitobaine

“As a proud Francophone and Lorette native, I’m extremely proud that Lorette is part of the region selected to welcome more Francophone immigrants to our region. Lorette was founded by the Métis community and its population grew with the arrivals of Francophones. This will not only enhance that heritage, but also welcome diversity. I want to commend the active participation of all the bilingual municipalities for their efforts and support of Francophone immigration to Manitoba.”

– Justin Bohémier, Mayor of Taché and Vice-President of the Association of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM)

“We worked hard to make the Seine River Region a Welcoming Community as part of the Immigration Strategy. Today is a proud day for the development and vitality of Manitoba's bilingual municipalities and Francophone community across the Seine River Region”.

– Justin Johnson, Director General, Association of Manitoba’s Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM) and Vice-President, Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA)

Quick facts

  • 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).

  • 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.

Associated links

Contacts

Contacts for media only

Mathieu Genest
Minister’s Office
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-954-1064

Media Relations
Communications Branch
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
613-952-1650
IRCC.COMMMediaRelations-RelationsmediasCOMM.IRCC@cic.gc.ca

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