1. The Future of Francophone
Immigration in Ontario
Presentation to OCASI Executive Directors Forum
October 23, 2012
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Unit

2. Overview
1. The creation of an Ontario immigration strategy.
2. The Expert Roundtable on Immigration’s report.
3. Targeted consultation with the francophone community.
4. Research on French-language settlement services offered to francophone
newcomers in Ontario.
5. Discussions with government partners.
6. MCI: More focus on francophone immigration.
7. Next steps / the future.
8. Questions.
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3. An Ontario Immigration Strategy
• Ontario is seeking to develop a forward-looking approach to immigration to:
• Define and articulate our vision and priorities for immigration;
• Develop:
• ongoing strategies supporting economic and labour market growth;
• specific initiatives to improve outcomes for all immigrants; and
• Ensure coordinated, aligned programs and policies.
• Ontario’s immigration strategy will be informed by:
• The Expert Roundtable;
• Targeted Consultations;
• Research; and
• Discussions with Government partners.
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4. The Report of the Expert Roundtable On
Immigration
The Report contains two elements specifically linked to Ontario’s francophone
community:
• Overarching advice - Ensure that the immigration system works for all communities
across Ontario:
– An immigration system must be effective for communities across Ontario,
including smaller urban centres, Francophone communities, and northern and
rural communities.
– Ontario should work closely with these communities in the design and delivery of
immigration programs and policies to ensure that programs satisfy their mutual
needs and commitments.
• Recommendation – Ontario’s Provincial Nominee Program should be used to
respond to specific occupational shortages and to the needs of communities,
including Francophone and rural communities.
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5. Targeted Consultation - the Francophone
Community
• The Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Teresa
Piruzza, held six targeted consultation sessions with stakeholder groups, including
one with the francophone community only, held in Ottawa on June 11, 2012:
– 3 of the 5 other consultations had francophone community representation and 4
written francophone submissions were also received.
• The Key Message: Ontario’s immigration strategy should explicitly address
francophone immigration and enhance services for francophone newcomers:
– More specifically:
• Ontario should have a clear, public policy statement on Francophone
immigration;
• There are opportunities to enhance pre-arrival information for francophones
to provide realistic information; and
• There are opportunities to better connect Francophone immigrants with
Ontario’s Francophone community and settlement services.
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6. Research on French-language settlement
services offered to francophone newcomers in
Ontario
• Mandate:
– Better understand the strengths, weaknesses, best practices and gaps in the
settlement services available for francophone newcomers to Ontario.
• Methodology:
– Review of literature on francophone immigration to Ontario (151 documents).
– Nine focus groups in which 147 individuals from various regions of the province
participated.
– Interviews with settlement service providers (15) and francophone community
leaders.
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7. Research on French-language settlement services
offered to francophone newcomers in Ontario:
Findings/Strengths
• Almost 50% of francophone immigrants who participated in the focus groups were
very satisfied with their immigration to Ontario. They were likely:
– Economic immigrants;
– People who received help from family and friends already established here;
– Were people who prepared their immigration project in their home countries;
– 25% had never heard of settlement services;
– 20% used such services only occasionally at arrival.
• Strengths:
– The ability of Francophone immigrant families in Ontario to integrate by
themselves;
– A high level of satisfaction with the educational services offered to immigrant
children in French-language schools;
– The number and relevance of cultural, social, sports and religious organizations
operating in Francophone immigrant communities.
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8. Research on French-language settlement services
offered to francophone newcomers in Ontario:
Weaknesses
• Labour market integration:
– Workshops on employment and meetings with opportunities for sharing about
employment are not sufficient.
• English language training:
– Most of the respondents were very dissatisfied with the availability of English
language courses and the teaching methods used.
• The uniformity and quality of services provided by organizations offering newcomer
settlement services:
– Some focus group participants expressed concerns regarding advice they
received.
– Nonetheless, the majority of participants indicated that they could recommend
their settlement service provider(s) to other newcomers.
– Governments should review the service delivery system and the quality of these
services with service providers, whether Francophone or Anglophone.
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9. Discussions with Government Partners
• MCI has sought the opinions, advice, and support of many Ontario ministries on the
possible elements of a strategy.
• With respect to the needs and wishes of the francophone community, MCI has
ensured that the views of the Office of Francophone Affairs have been heard.
• MCI also has the recommendations and comments of the French Language Services
Commissioner:
– In his 2011-2012 Annual Report.
– On the Final Report of the Expert Roundtable on Immigration to Ontario.
• In summary, we have sought to better understand and respond to the needs of
Ontario’s francophone community and of Ontario generally in an environment that
demands, more than ever, effectiveness and efficiency/value-for-money.
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10. MCI: More Focus on Francophone Immigration
• MCI has a deeper understanding of francophone immigration now – the stakes, the
gaps, the problems, the hopes – thanks to:
– Work linked to immigration strategy development;
– The increasing emphasis that MCI places on francophone immigration, including:
• Participation/attendance at the three regional francophone immigration
forums held in 2012 (Hamilton, Ottawa, Sudbury);
• Participation at the Working Session on Francophone Immigration to
Canada of the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie (2012);
• Attendance at the Metropolis pre-Congress on Francophone Immigration to
Canada (2012); and
• Regular participation at the Francophone Minority Communities Steering and
Sub-Steering Committees.
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11. The Future of Francophone Immigration in
Ontario
• Development of Ontario’s immigration strategy continues:
– We hope to have determined the key elements (including francophone)
of the strategy before the end of the year;
– It is not possible to discuss strategy elements at this time.
• Once the strategy is unveiled – and regardless of its content – the success
of the francophone immigration file will not be guaranteed. There will be
need for:
– More collaboration between Canada and Ontario;
– More collaboration between Ontario, its ministries, its francophone
communities, and its employers.
– More collaboration with you.
• We want what you want: francophone newcomers who succeed and a
Franco-Ontarian community that flourishes.
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12. Questions?
Ernest Wheeler
Policy Advisor, Policy and Intergovernmental Relations
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
416 314-2464
Ernest.Wheeler@Ontario.ca
Ontarioimmigration.ca 12