(Submitted by yoyo43esp)Office Of Francophone Affairs  

About the OFA Sections: Who We Are & How to Reach Us | Announcements | Plans and Reports

About the OFA
Created under the French Language Services Act, the Office is the Ontario Government's main source of expertise on Francophone affairs and French-language services. It provides information on the province's French-speaking population to other levels of government and the public, and co-ordinates the government-wide delivery of French-language services in the 25 areas designated under the French Language Services Act.

Our clients
The Government of Ontario, its ministries and their agencies.
Ontario's Francophone community, its members and its organizations.
Our vision
The Office is committed to ensuring that Francophones have access to provincial government services in French and that they contribute to the social, economic and political life of the province, while maintaining their language and culture.

Our mission
To help Francophones, as full members of Ontario society, to grow and preserve their language while respecting their cultural diversity;
To assist government ministries and agencies in their relations with and understanding of the Francophone community, and in the development and delivery of French-language services.
What the Office of Francophone Affairs does...
Supports the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs in the development of French-language services, policies and programs that meet the needs of Ontario's Francophones;
Provides advice on matters relating to Francophones and the delivery of French-language services;
Gathers and maintains information on Ontario's Francophone community;
Provides information to the community to assist it in activities that promote its interests and development;
Acts as a link between the Francophone community and government ministries and their agencies.
Francophones with disabilities should be able to move around from place to place, go shopping, attend school, visit their doctor or get a job, without facing barriers that people without disabilities would not face. That's what the government of Ontario means by an accessible society. the Office of Francophone Affairs makes continued efforts to improve accessibility and offers guidance to other ministries on how to ensure that Francophones with disabilities have access to quality and timely information in accessible formats and to allow them to fully participate in building a stronger province.

The OFA has two branches which are managed by the Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister:
The Strategic Communications Branch

Provides support to the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs in all communications activities with the Francophone community;
Undertakes communications projects in partnership with government ministries and agencies and community organizations;
Keeps the community informed of any government announcement that affects the delivery of French-language services;
Works with provincial, regional and local Francophone organizations;
Handles public complaints about the delivery of French-language services;
Maintains an up-to-date interactive Web site.
The Policy and Ministry Services Branch

Advises the Government on policies and programs in the area of Francophone affairs.
Conducts research and statistical analyses on issues pertaining to the community and shares these findings with government ministries and agencies.
Helps ministries maintain and improve their French-language services.
How to reach us...
Marie-Lison Fougère, Assistant Deputy Minister
Tel.: 416 325-4958
E-mail: marie-lison.fougere@ontario.ca

Éric Mézin, Acting Director, Policy and Ministry Services Branch
Tel.: 416 325-4943
E-mail: eric.mezin@ontario.ca

Charles Jean Sucsan, Senior Manager, Strategic Communications
Tel: 416 325-4968
E-mail: charlesjean.sucsan@ontario.ca

Toll-free: 1 800 268-7507
In Toronto: 416 325-4949
TDD: 416 325-0017
Fax: 416 325-4980
E-mail: ofa@ontario.ca

Or write to:
Office of Francophone Affairs
777 Bay Street, 6th floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2J4


The French Language Services Act
The Act
The French Language Services Act (complete text of the act) guarantees each individual the right to receive provincial government services in French in 25 designated areas of the province.

Why this Act?
The Francophone presence in Ontario dates back more than 350 years. The province's Francophone population, which numbers 548,940, is the largest French-speaking Canadian community outside Quebec.

The Ontario Government recognizes the contribution that the French-speaking population has made to the province's historical, cultural and linguistic heritage, and wishes to preserve it for future generations.

What services are available?
Any service that is provided to the public by a ministry or an agency of the Government of Ontario.

e.g. Obtaining a driver's licence, birth or marriage certificates, etc.

Do ministries and government agencies have to offer all their services in French at all times?
All ministries and government agencies must offer services in French. Theses services must be available in at least one of the offices of such ministry or agency that is located in or serves a designated area. All the offices must have signs in French indicating the locations where those services are available in French.

Ministries and agencies having offices located outside a designated area but serving a designated area must ensure that services in French are provided to client living in the designated area.

If you do not live in a designated region:

you can have access to French-language services available in a designated area near you;
you may contact the central offices of the various ministries;
you may consult the Web sites of the Ontario Government.
Does the Act require public agencies to provide French-language services?
The Act does not cover all public agencies such as hospitals, children's aid societies, and long-term facilities. These agencies may ask to be officially designated to provide some or all of their services in French once they meet the criteria for designation (for example, French language services plan and policies).

Ministries are responsible for identifying which agencies in the designated areas should implement some or all of their services in French.

Do municipalities have to provide services in French?
Municipalities do not have to provide French-language services, even in the designated regions. They are responsible for deciding whether or not to provide their services in French.

What happens when the services are transferred to municipalities?
Within the framework of local services realignment, when a program or service of provincial jurisdiction is transferred to a municipality, an agreement will ensure that the provision of services in French is maintained at the same level.

Who is responsible for this Act?
The Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs administers the French Language Services Act.

The Minister is assisted in this task by the Office of Francophone Affairs.

To find out more about the French Language Services Act, contact the Office of Francophone Affairs:

Toll free: 1 800 268-7507
In Toronto: 416 325-4949
TDD: 416 325-0017
Fax: 416 325-4980
E-mail: ofa@ontario.ca

Mailing Address:
777 Bay Street, 6th floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2J4

The Minister

Madeleine Meilleur
Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs

Madeleine Meilleur was elected in 2003 after more than a decade in municipal politics. Since 1991 she has held office in the City of Vanier and the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton and as councillor in the new City of Ottawa.

A registered nurse and lawyer specializing in labour and employment law, Ms. Meilleur brought leadership to numerous committees and task forces. She was chair of Ottawa's Transportation and Transit Committee and of the Rideau Street Redevelopment Working Group. She also served on the Ottawa-Carleton Regional District Health Council, the Champlain District Health Council, the Ottawa-Carleton Children's Aid Society and the Vanier Housing Corporation.

A leader committed to building bridges between linguistic communities, Ms. Meilleur represented council on the French-Language Services Advisory Committee. She was also a member of the board of directors of La Cité collégiale, the Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority, the Centre d'Accueil Champlain and Opera Lyra Ottawa.

Ms. Meilleur received the United Way's 2001 Community Builder's Award and in 2002 was the recipient of le prix d'Excellence, awarded by the Réseau socioaction des femmes francophones, for dedication to the community. She served as a member of the Canadian delegation to the Francophone Games in Cameroon in 1996, as deputy mayor in July 2001 and as honorary president of the Tulip Festival in May 2002.

Ms. Meilleur was involved in the implementation of the Success By 6 Vanier, aiding the development of young children. A founding member of Learn to Earn, aimed at helping youth learn a trade, she has also chaired the fundraising effort for Maison d'amitié, a facility assisting female victims of violence.

Send a message to the Minister: ofa@ontario.ca


Francophone Population of Ontario (2001)
Central Region
Click on image or select from the list below to see detail:

Hamilton
Mississauga
Oshawa
Penetanguishene
Toronto
Welland

* Toronto (Toronto [City], Scarborough, East York, North York, York and Etobicoke
* Hamilton (Stoney Creek, Glanbrook, Ancaster, Hamilton, Dundas and Flamborough)

Municipalities amalgamated between 1996 and 2001

Other municipalities (Statistics Canada site)

More regional information: Statistics, list of designated bilingual areas for the region and regional characteristics


Toronto *
Statistics for Ontario on Francophone Population
(2001 Census - Statistics Canada)
Total Population Francophone Population Percentage of Francophones
2,481,495 42,780 1.7%

*Toronto (Toronto [City], Scarborough, East York, North York, York and Etobicoke)

* Municipalities amalgamated between 1996 and 2001

(See Larger Map of Office Of Francophone Affairs)

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yoyo43esp Reviews: 529Badges: 15	Overall:	March 29, 2007
	2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Nice to have French Language Services It provides information on the province's French-speaking population to other levels of government and the public, and co-ordinates the government-wide delivery of French-language services in the 25 areas designated under the French Language Services Act. Learning their language,history,culture by reading French book materials,French school,watching movies/televison shows,listening to French music,museums,their Centre francophone.It will help you to know them more. I recommend this place. Was this review helpful? Yes | No | Report as Spam

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