The Official Languages Innovation Fund allows federal institutions to implement projects that improve their ability to offer services in both official languages, to create a workplace that is favourable to the use of both official languages, to encourage a change in organizational culture and to improve their management of the Official Languages Program. Institutions must contribute an amount equal to the funds allocated.

The Canadian Space Agency will receive $25,000 to implement, in two phases, a pilot project designed to assess the effectiveness of a computer-assisted, self-directed tool for learning a second language. If this tool proves to be as effective as expected, the costs associated with traditional language training could be reduced, employees would have more flexibility in language training, and it could be a useful complement to classroom training. If the exercise is conclusive, the CSA intends to share its experience with other departments seeking innovative and cost-effective methods to improve their employees' second language skills.
The Canadian Revenue Agency (Atlantic Region) will receive $23,000 to develop and test a virtual language skills retention centre in the Atlantic Region. This project has two components: developing a program, and testing it (pilot) with one or more participant groups from the four Atlantic provinces. Université Ste-Anne / Collège de l'Acadie in Pointe de l'Église, Nova Scotia, will be responsible for developing the program and the participant assessment criteria, conducting the various participant assessments, facilitating videoconference sessions/workshops, and conducting a final assessment of the pilot project. The purpose of such a project is to help selected employees gradually maintain what they have learned and, as a result, improve the quality of service to the public and the management of Official Languages Program in general.
The Psychology Centre of the PSC will receive $79,000 to explore professional and organizational best practices for assessing second language oral interaction skills, and develop the technical features of an innovative assessment prototype. This project is proposed within the context of the federal government's priority to ensure a diverse and bilingual Public Service, and, more specifically, the Action Plan for Official Languages, the Public Service Modernization Act and the new Official Languages Policy. The project will lead to the production of a prototype that will be used to develop an oral interaction skills assessment instrument that is valid, reliable and fair for a variety of groups, and that is sufficiently effective and flexible to enable federal departments and agencies to fulfill their obligations under the Official Languages Act more quickly.
The Network of Departmental Official Languages Champions will receive $50,000 to help defray the costs associated with hiring a coordinator and running a secretariat smoothly, in order to respond to the network's need for a support structure. This structure will be an innovative tool to guide champions' efforts related to the government's Action Plan and the renewal of the Official Languages Program.
The National Research Council of Canada will receive $149,000 to create a search system that will allow users to search, in either French or English, according to their preference, scientific and technical documents written in either official languages. The project aims to improve service to the public and promote French as a language of work.
Environment Canada will receive $55,000 to examine whether passive bilingualism could be a viable and effective way of promoting the objectives of the Official Languages Program in the Public Service of Canada.
Language Training Canada will receive $15,000 for a project in cooperation with UQAM and other potential partners designed to develop a language teaching methodology and related material specifically adapted to the needs of Aboriginal people in the federal Public Service.
Sport Canada will receive $140,000 to fix some organizational shortcomings related to the delivery of service to the public, and report on the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages. In addition, the project is designed to improve service to the public and, more specifically, to Canadian athletes, in both official languages, thereby increasing access. It will also ensure that sustainable cultural change is supported effectively.
The Translation Bureau will receive $100,000 to compile an inventory of all the language tools available on the federal government's Intranet, Extranet and Internet sites, and consolidate them under one point of access by creating a new portal on the Government of Canada's main site. The portal will be linked to other government or public institution sites that offer language tools.
Transport Canada will receive $8,000 to establish a two-hour workshop for managers on how to conduct bilingual meetings. Ten training sessions will be provided for 200 managers - two sessions will be held in French and eight, in English. The managers will be given small laminated cards at the sessions summarizing important advice on how to conduct bilingual meetings. The sessions will be held in Transport Canada buildings in the NCR.

Regional Partnership Fund

The Regional Partnership Fund is intended to help federal regional councils fund innovative projects that are adapted to regional conditions in order to improve service to the public, language of work in regions designated as bilingual, and equitable participation of Francophones and Anglophones in the Public Service of Canada.

The Alberta Regional Council will receive $100,000 to establish the Alberta Linguistic Duality Network. For the first time, Alberta will be strategically positioned to meet the many ongoing challenges arising from the Action Plan for Official Languages and to deal with the themes referred to in the report on Forum 4:2:1. This project is tailor-made for Alberta. It tackles the challenges identified by the Federal Council and promotes permanent objectives in terms of official languages.
The Prince Edward Island Regional Council will receive $50,000 to implement key measures that promote service delivery in both official languages, as well as aim toheighten Public Service awareness and support equitable representation of both linguistic communities in the Public Service. In view of the changing corporate culture and improved management of the Official Languages Program, the measures will hopefully open the lines of communication between the official language communities in Prince Edward Island.
The Manitoba Regional Council will receive $58,000 to create a western interprovincialnetwork of official languages coordinators with a view to fostering the development of interdepartmental networks within each province, discussions regarding best practices, joint activity planning and resource-sharing.
The Nova Scotia Regional Council will receive $100,000 for the Towards an Exemplary Public Service project reflecting the vision and commitment of the Council's Official Languages Committee. The project gave rise to a forum that discussed the challenges, solutions and best practices that will help foster cultural change and promote the value that official languages form the core of an exemplary Public Service.
The Nova Scotia Regional Council will receive $45,000 to address the challenges associated with delivering bilingual services to the province's official language minority community. A study will be conducted to examine the needs of the official language minority community and to determine the current level and quality of government services offered in French. The gaps identified will be the subject of recommendations.
The New Brunswick Regional Council will receive $85,000 to develop a support structure to encourage federal institutions to organize activities designed to foster cultural change and have a long-term ripple effect. The structure will be composed of a coordinator and an administrative officer, both of whom will report to the Federal Council. All these activities, and others as well, will be evaluated this year by means of a questionnaire to be circulated among the institutions. This will allow the Council to make adjustments in terms of action to be taken, as well as measure the impact of completed projects. The NBFC will rely on the federal departments to obtain the office space and equipment required for the project.
The Pacific Regional Council will receive $60,000 for the Francofun Network. Continued funding of this project, previously sponsored by the Regional Partnership Fund in 2003-2004 for activities limited to the Greater Vancouver area, will enable the Council to reach more "remote" areas, namely, those located outside the large urban area, with a view to fostering a more meaningful dialogue with the Francophone community, and dealing with youth involvement and public servants' participation in a variety of sectors in the Pacific Region.
The Pacific Regional Council will receive $100,000 to carry out follow-up to the B.C. pilot project Respect Inspires. Under this second phase, which focuses on the areas of concern identified in the pilot project, at least 12 workshops will be offered to all the employees in the Pacific Region. The government and community will join their efforts in these interactive workshops to raise employee awareness of the importance of bilingualism in Canada and for Canadians. To ensure that a large number of employees respect the principles underlying the Respect Inspires workshops, an employee toolkit will be developed for distribution across the Pacific Region, possibly to be extended across the country.
The Pacific Regional Council will receive $70,000 for Annuaires Franco, a project bringing together two levels of government (provincial and federal) and a partnership of Francophone community groups represented by the Conseil jeunesse de la Colombie-Britannique. The project involves developing two bilingual, interactive electronic directories online: a youth portal directory and a Public Service career fair directory. Another objective of the project is to conduct a feasibility study to identify potential projects and/or ways to improve access for British Columbia's Francophone youth to government job postings.
The Québec Federal Council will receive $100,000 to organize a forum on linguistic duality with a view to fostering dialogue and supporting the search for new and innovative practices that deal with the concerns raised in consultations with Quebec's Anglophone communities. The recommendations arising from these consultations were published in the Mallory Report and the Missisquoi Institute study.
The Québec Federal Council will receive $75,000 to implement a strategy to improve recruitment of young Anglophones. More specifically, the project aims to foster dialogue and support the search for new and innovative practices that deal with the concerns raised in consultations with Quebec's Anglophone communities. The recommendations arising from these consultations were published in the Mallory Report and the Missisquoi Institute study.
The Saskatchewan Regional Council will receive $64,000. Together with memberdepartments in the province, the organizers of the project plan to hire a coordinator to oversee programs supporting the retention of official language skills, and to provide other inter-agency coordination activities relating to official languages in the province. The project also involves specific activities to retain acquired language skills.
The Saskatchewan Regional Council will receive $56,000 to implement and manage the Canada-Saskatchewan Bilingual Service Centre. The Regional Council will combine efforts with the provincial government of Saskatchewan.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Council will receive $110,000 to carry out phase II of a five-year project entitled Partenaires pour l'innovation en matière de langue française. As part of the project, an official languages coordinator will ensure that activities are implemented in the areas of education (in partnership with Memorial University of Newfoundland) and exemplary Public Service (including capacity building).
The Northwest Territories Regional Council will receive $83,000 to develop, over the next two fiscal years, a project to implement an official languages strategic plan for the federal institutions in the Northwest Territories.