2022 Cross-Canada Official Languages Consultations

Current status: Open

Opens May 24, 2022, and closes August 31, 2022.

About the consultations

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages, has a mandate to develop a new plan for official languages. This process will be informed by a consultation exercise running from May 24 to the end of August. The consultations target the general public, official language minority communities, advocacy organizations, provincial and territorial representatives, and federal institutions and organizations.

Through this new Action Plan, the Government of Canada is committed to doing more and doing better, in order to maintain its support for the vitality of official language minority communities and the advancement of the two official languages, while giving special attention to the protection and promotion of French across Canada, including in Quebec. The government wants to renew its efforts in the area of official languages in a way that reflects and showcases the strengths associated with the rich diversity of our communities.

The purpose of this plan is to use programs and funding to further and support the full gamut of legislative and administrative measures in the reform document entitled English and French: Towards a Substantive Equality of Official Languages in Canada.

Why are we consulting?

The purpose of these consultations is to determine whether the broad objectives and initiatives of Action Plan 2018–2023 are still appropriate, given the guiding principles of the language regime reform, and to make the necessary adjustments. Those guiding principles are:

to improve the compliance of federal institutions and organizations with the Act;
to protect and promote French across Canada;
to stimulate learning and appreciation of the two official languages; and
to strengthen our support in order to foster the development of Canada’s rich and numerous official language minority communities.

Who should participate?

The Government of Canada is seeking input from all Canadians, whether in Canada or abroad, who have an interest in, or want to share their opinion on, official languages.

Join in: How to participate

In-person town hall forums: Regional tour

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, will conduct a cross-Canada tour to meet in person with key stakeholders, members of official language minority communities, government officials and representatives of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

Dates and locations for the regional tour

Note that dates are subject to change.

Expected dates	Location (city, province)
24 May 2022	Vancouver, British Columbia (Announcement and launching of the activities)
26 May 2022	Winnipeg, Manitoba
23 June 2022	Regina, Saskatchewan
24 June 2022	Edmonton, Alberta
6 July 2022	Montréal, Québec
7 July 2022	Sherbrooke, Québec
13 July 2022	Sudbury, Ontario
Week of July 17	Whitehorse, Yukon
Week of July 17	(City, to be confirmed), Northwest Territories
Week of July 17	(City, to be confirmed), Nunavut
Early August 2022	Moncton, New Brunswick
11 August 2022	Halifax, Nova Scotia
To be confirmed	Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island)
To be confirmed	Saint John’s (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Formal consultation with provincial and territorial governments (Minister to Minister letter, Ministerial Council for Canadian Francophonie, dialogue opportunities and bilateral meetings)

Mechanisms

Official ministerial letter to be sent on May 24 with a reply anticipated by late July
Ministers’ Council on the Canadian Francophonie (MCCF) on June 22-23, 2022

Participants

Relevant provincial and territorial Ministers

Consult the Discussion Guide for more information.

Public consultations are open to all Canadians from May 24 to August 31, 2022

Share your ideas online

Complete the questionnaire

Participate by mail or email

Virtual thematic dialogue sessions

As part of the public consultations to be conducted by the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency from May to August 2022, certain thematic events are anticipated.

Consult the Discussion Guide for more information.

Note: Participation in the virtual consultations is by invitation only. Dates are subject to change. However, you will find the questions that will be asked during these sessions in the discussion document.

Date	Theme
June 2, 2022	Francophone immigration
June 8, 2022	Education continuum
June 16, 2022	Appreciation of French and English: arts and culture, youth, seniors, and key institutions
July 4, 2022	Official languages, diversity, and inclusion
July 4, 2022	Second language learning and enhancement and French immersion
July 5, 2022	Protection and promotion of French: private sector, private businesses under federal jurisdiction, international and cultural diplomacy, scientific knowledge
July 5, 2022	Exemplary government, research, and knowledge of the realities of official languages in Canada

Closing summit

Note that dates are subject to change.

Date	Location
To be determined – August 25 , 2022 – expected	Ottawa, Ontario / Gatineau, Quebec

Contact us

Canadian Heritage
Official Languages Branch
15 Eddy Street, 7th floor
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M5

Email: Consultations_LO-OL_Consultations@pch.gc.ca
Telephone: 819-994-2222
1-866-811-0055 (toll-free)
TTY: 1-888-997-3123

Agents are available to answer your questions Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm (ET).

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