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I am happy to announce that our government is investing up to $11 million over 5 years
in Francophone pre-arrival services.
Thank you, thank you.
Under the leadership of La Cité, 4 regional organizations
will cooperate to offer these services.
This collaboration will include la Fédération des francophones
de la Colombie-Britannique, la Société de la francophonie manitobaine,
Actions interculturelles de développement et d'éducation and
la Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse.
Now I have related news.
For some time, many of you have told us that we need more independent testing centres
for French-speaking immigrants and applicants to our economic immigration programs.
So I am pleased to announce that the Centre international d'études pédagogiques has been
designated as the second French language tester for economic immigration applicants.
I want to note that the average cost of the new French test
will be comparable to the average cost for an English test.
And I should add that we expect greater access to French testing starting
on December 1, 2018, and that it will include cities where designated tests
are not even currently available at the moment.
Thank you.
We've also heard very clearly, loud and clearly, about the need for services in French
for newcomers arriving in Canada's largest airport, Pearson International Airport,
to be provided by a Francophone organization with knowledge
and ties to Francophone communities.
"By and for Francophone communities" is the main guiding principle for our Government.
So as a result of that, Pearson airport is the main point of entry for French-speaking
newcomers who arrive in Canada outside of Quebec.
So I am delighted to announce that the Centre francophone de Toronto has been selected
to provide these orientation services, and other services, to French-speaking newcomers
who arrive at Pearson airport.
I would like to mark this week with one last piece of news.
As announced in Budget 2018, a Francophone Integration Pathway, that my colleague
Minister Joly just spoke about, will receive $36.6 million in funding over the next
5 years to support newcomers and communities for initiatives.
On November 19, IRCC will launch an expression of interest process seeking proposals
from organizations to deliver official language training adapted to the needs of
French-speaking immigrants, and allophone newcomers who have declared French as their
official language of preference, in Francophone communities.
This initiative will benefit the integration of Francophone newcomers.
Thank you again for joining me today.
Thank you very much.