Francophone Communities in Southern Ontario to Benefit from FedDev Ontario Initiative

ROCKLAND, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 21, 2014) - Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)

Today, on behalf of FedDev Ontario Minister of State Gary Goodyear, Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, announced an investment of up to $4 million in funding over five years for the renewal of the Economic Development Initiative (EDI).

EDI in southern Ontario will promote the development of new expertise through innovation, diversification of economic activities, partnerships, and increased support of small- and medium-sized businesses in official language minority communities (OLMCs).

As part of the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities, the Government of Canada's strategy for official languages, EDI will seek to address the specific economic challenges of each region and build upon regional successes to facilitate sustainable growth in OLMCs.

Funding is available for projects that support strategic community economic planning, as well as business and economic development, including support for internships to youth and workers in transition.

Quick Facts

• Since 2009, the EDI has invested in 30 business and community development projects across southern Ontario. Additional support for these projects was leveraged from partners such as Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Heritage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and local businesses.
• The Economic Development Initiative is part of the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities, the Government of Canada's strategy for official languages.
• Through the Roadmap, the Government of Canada is investing $1.1 billion across 15 federal departments and agencies with the goal of ensuring the vitality of English and French in Canada through education, immigration, and communities.
• According to Census 2006 and 2011 data, Ontario is home to the largest Francophone population in the country outside of Québec.
• Ontario's population with French as its mother tongue has increased almost 50 per cent, between 1951 and 2006, demonstrating growth. And between 2006 and 2011, this number increased another 4.5%. Ontario is now home to 611,500 Franco-Ontarians.

Quotes

"With the renewal of the Economic Development Initiative, our Government will continue to promote business development and job creation in this region while ensuring that Francophone communities can continue to grow and prosper."

- Minister of State Gary Goodyear

"The Economic Development Initiative promotes the development of new expertise through innovation, economic diversification, partnerships and increased support of small and medium-sized business in southern Ontario's Francophone communities."

- Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture

Associated Links

Economic Development Initiative

Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018

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