Francophone Secretariat

Mission

The Francophone Secretariat aims to:

• acknowledge and increase awareness of the long-standing and continuing contribution of Alberta's Francophonie to the social, cultural and economic development of Alberta
• support organizations, communities and individuals in the development of their capacity to participate in, and contribute to, government-sponsored initiatives promoting French language and cultures
• coordinate a cohesive approach to the ongoing development and improvement of government services in French
• support ministries in promoting Government of Alberta initiatives to provide services to the French-speaking Albertans

Responsibilities

The Francophone Secretariat:

• serves as the liaison between the provincial government and the Alberta Francophonie
• clarifies and represents the needs of the French-speaking Albertans within government, with various ministries and agencies
• coordinates and implements Alberta’s French Policy
• represents Alberta and Alberta’s Francophonie in organizations such as the Ministers' Council on the Canadian Francophonie
• participates in the negotiation and implementation of federal-provincial agreements as it relates to government engagement with the Francophonie in Alberta and the provision of government services in French

French Policy

On June 14, 2017, following a period of consultations with both internal and community stakeholders, the Government of Alberta unveiled a French policy that guides government ministries in enhancing services in French and supports the vitality of the Francophonie in Alberta.

French is one of Canada’s two official languages and a vibrant component of its diversity. French is also the most widely spoken language in Alberta after English and its use is projected to continue to grow in the years to come. This will result in more requests for services in French in Alberta.

The provincial government has an opportunity to better serve a significant portion of Albertans, while also enhancing Alberta’s competitive advantage and strengthening the province’s relationship with the Francophonie across Canada and the world.

Action Plan and Annual Report

The Government of Alberta provides services and supports to French-speaking Albertans.

As required by the policy, government ministries are responsible for developing and publishing a multi-year action plan that identifies specific stakeholders with whom to engage, and goals, objectives and measures aimed at implementing the French Policy and therefore improving services in French.

The action plan provides details on the tangible and incremental ways government will enhance services in French.

As part of the implementation of the French Policy and with the input from all the Government of Alberta ministries, the Francophone Secretariat also coordinates the publication of an annual report on government progress towards improving its services in French to Albertans. The report outlines the efforts made and the results achieved by the Government of Alberta and its agency, boards and commissions.

What the policy means to Albertans

The overall goal of the policy is to help government be more aware of and responsive to the needs of French-speaking Albertans when delivering services to the community. The policy also serves as a tool to enhance Alberta’s attractiveness as a destination for interprovincial migrants, immigrants, tourists and investors.

Implementation cost

There is a common understanding between the Government of Alberta and Francophone community stakeholders of working towards long-term incremental change.

The policy’s ongoing implementation is achieved within existing resources. In addition to provincial funding, the Government of Alberta also obtains annual funding from the federal government that it allocates to enhance and increase French-language services. This financing is implemented through the Canada-Alberta Agreement on French-Language Services, amongst others.

Other provinces with French policies

Most other jurisdictions in Canada have a policy and/or legislative framework governing their approach to services for their French speaking communities.

• Minister's Council on the Canadian Francophonie
• Official languages in the provinces and territories

Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie

Established in 2018 under Section 7 of the Government Organization Act, the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie advises the Minister of Culture, responsible for the Francophone Secretariat, on the ongoing implementation and evaluation of the French Policy.

Council members also help ensure that the Albertan French-speaking community, in all its geographical, cultural and demographic diversity, is represented.

Key responsibilities of the Council include:

• identifying priorities for strengthening the community’s vitality through the development and enhancement of services in French within available resources
• improving the development and delivery of government services in French within available resources
• optimizing the use of existing provincial funding for services in French and federal funding administered by the Ministry of Culture
• evaluating the effectiveness of the policy in achieving its intended outcomes

The Government of Alberta's public agencies list includes information on the mandate, roles and code of conduct of the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie. The agencies' web page is available in English only, but information about the Council is in French.

Compensation disclosure

Public sector bodies are required to post online the names and compensation paid to:

• all council members
• employees who earn over a threshold amount (see Public sector body compensation disclosure)

This is a requirement under the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act. The postings are required by June 30 each year and will be maintained for 5 years.

• Download the Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie's compensation disclosure (CSV, 4 KB).

Community Grants

Francophone community organizations are encouraged to apply for grant opportunities to support their community initiatives. More information on existing grants, eligibility criteria and application processes can be found below:

• Grants for non-profit
• Grants and funding for municipalities
• Cultural industry grants and funding
• Culture grants search

French-Language Services Grant (discontinued)

The French Language Services Grant program terminated on April 1, 2020. For information on previous grant recipients, including the amount of funding awarded:

• Canada-Alberta Agreement on French Language Services grant funding recipients

Contact

Connect with the Francophone Secretariat:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-415-3348 (Edmonton and area)
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Address:
Francophone Secretariat
905 10405 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta  T5J 4R7

Follow us on Twitter for information in French on services, resources and events.