Enhancing French services in Alberta is the goal of the Alberta Government with the launch of the new French Policy 2018-21 Action Plan.

The Province says the plan, will include new and enhanced programs, more translated materials and greater collaborations with community groups.

The cross-ministry plan is intended to support the growing number of Albertans who speak French.

According to Statistics Canada, French is the most widely spoken language in Alberta, next to English with over 268,000 Albertans speaking the language, and almost 87,000 identifying French as their first official language.

Statistics Canada also says from 2011 to 2036, Alberta is expected to see the highest growth in French-speaking populations in Canada.

Since launching the French Policy in June of 2017, the Franco-Albertan flag is now an official emblem, and the month of March has officially been named as Alberta Francophonie Month.

One in three Alberta students are learning in French, according to Alberta Education.

The program is set to run over the next three years, and will utilize existing resources to enhance French-language services across government.

 

Send us your news tips, story ideas and comments at news@highriveronline.com