The Government of Canada will be assisting the NWT with French Language Services for the next few years.
It was recently announced that a new Canada-Northwest Territories Agreement has been signed, which commits $5.9 million per year over the next five years to help deliver French Language communications and services in GNWT facilities.
In a statement, Caitlin Cleveland, the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, said that “Ensuring the provision of French-language services is essential to fostering an inclusive and vibrant Franco-ténois community. This new agreement with Canada not only reinforces our government’s commitment to the Franco-ténois community but also builds on the significant progress we’ve made over the years. With this funding, we can continue to offer vital services, from healthcare to essential administrative support, in French.”
The 2021 Census revealed that 1,475 individuals declared French as their mother tongue. Additionally, it reported that 4,395 people (10.8 per cent of the Northwest Territories’ population) can speak French. The communities with the highest demand for French in the NWT include Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Inuvik. Twelve schools of the 49 across the NWT provide comprehensive French immersion or French as a first language programs.
The last agreement that covered French language services provided $16.9 million over three years, and came to an end in 2023. You can find a detailed breakdown of the planned actions under the agreement in the Action Plan 2023-2028, (Schedule C) available here.
