The Government of Canada Invests $1.5 Million for Official Languages in Prince Edward Island

For generations, official-language minority communities have been successful in keeping their language and culture alive and well. The Government of Canada supports these communities through funding to community partners who ensure their vitality and sustainability.

Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario and Official Languages), announced that the Government of Canada is providing more than $1.5 million to 10 organizations in Prince Edward Island in 2020–2021. This represents a 36‑percent increase in funding since 2018. Ms. Lalonde made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages.

She took the opportunity to announce that three new beneficiaries would receive core funding: the Comité régional des Jeux de l’Acadie, the Salon du livre de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard and the Association du musée acadien de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard.

These groups join a list of seven other organizations in Prince Edward Island that receive core funding from Canadian Heritage and have seen their contributions increase since the implementation of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future.

The funding provided to these groups ensures that they can continue playing an active role in maintaining the vitality of Acadian and Francophone communities in the province.

Quotes

“Official-language minority communities in Canada are part of the very fabric of our country, made up of many small, passionate community organizations that work tirelessly to ensure the sustainability and vitality of our Francophone populations. The Government of Canada is proud to support their ongoing efforts and commitment to our bilingual future.”

—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

“In every part of Canada, official-language minority communities are working to keep their language and culture relevant, strong and thriving. Community organizations play a vital role in Canada’s bilingual future by providing leadership and direction, and ensuring access to services, resources, and cultural and language activities.”

—Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario and Official Languages)

“The Island’s community network really needed the additional funding provided by the federal government with the launch of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023. As spokesperson organization for the Acadian and Francophone community of Prince Edward Island, SAF’Île often talks about the importance of securing adequate and regular funding to achieve community development objectives, particularly in a minority situation. We are grateful for the government’s attention to the need to increase the funding envelopes of community organizations, whose operational costs have a huge impact on the vitality and growth of our community. We will continue to work together to maintain a financial situation conducive to the proper degree of co-development of a strong community, and thus generate more impacts.”

—Edgar Arsenault, Chair, Société acadienne et francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard (SAF’Île)

Quick facts

• The Action Plan for Official Languages 2018–2023: Investing in Our Future proposes an unprecedented investment of $2.7 billion over five years, including $500 million in new funding, to support minority communities and promote bilingualism across the country.
• On February 19, in the document English and French: Towards a substantive equality of official languages in Canada, Minister Joly unveiled the Government of Canada’s intentions to modernize and strengthen the Official Languages Act and related instruments. This document proposes a range of changes and new measures to achieve a new linguistic balance in the country.
• Canadian Heritage’s Official Languages Support Programs promote French and English in Canadian society and enhance the vitality of English- and French-speaking minority communities.
• There are official-language minority communities in every province and territory, each with its own specific realities and needs.
• In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada proposes $392 million to support official-language minority communities across the country. This funding aims to achieve greater levels of bilingualism; to make high-quality post-secondary minority-language education available across Canada; to support the construction, renovation and expansion of the educational and community spaces that serve official-language minority communities; and to move forward with modernizing the Official Languages Act.