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IRCC's Welcoming Francophone Communities initiative is a three-year community-based pilot project in response to the request of Francophone minority communities (FMCs) expressed during the 2015 and 2017 consultations on Francophone immigration. Its purpose is to support the consolidation of the Francophone Integration Pathway.

To discover all the welcoming Francophone communities, click here.

MISSION

With the collaboration of our partners and community members, we are working to increase the French-speaking population of Labrador West by: attracting, recruiting, improving the reception and sustainable integration of French-speaking newcomers into the community by fostering the development of a sense of belonging.

The Acadian and Francophone community in Western Labrador is growing, diverse, inclusive, dynamic and forward-looking.

fille et sa mère dans la neige

HOW

The Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), has dedicated more than $40 million to Francophone immigration in order to promote the attraction and retention of Francophone immigrants in FMCs. As a result, IRCC, in collaboration with community partners, initiated in 2018, the Welcoming Francophone Communities (WFC) initiative.

As part of the initiative, 14 communities were selected across Canada to attract, integrate and retain Francophone immigrants in order to increase their economic growth but also to make the communities the preferred and permanent choice of residence for Francophone newcomers.  

HISTORY

After analyzing the economic and social-cultural data, only two communities could meet the defined criteria (Saint John and Labrador West). Of these two communities, Labrador West is the one that not only specifically meets all of the prerequisites, but also offers significant advantages. For this reason, the community of Labrador West is an ideal candidate for this project for the following reasons :

  • Existence of French school services, which welcomes a wide diversity and offers a variety of teachings, which can promote the retention of immigrants and students.
  • Francophone immigrants are systematically redirected into the Francophone network
  • Existence of jobs available in the main industries Mines and hydraulic works but also the tertiary industry, medical and to be developed with information
  • Rural community with a delimited territory (Labrador West, i.e. the municipalities of Labrador City and Wabush) facilitating the collection of data and the analysis of results.
  • Quality of reception of immigrants already praised
  • The two municipalities seem to have a real desire to welcome and retain immigrants (quality of life, presence of many families, numerous activities, etc.);
  • Even if mining jobs are in the majority, there is a real need for workers in other services (government, hospital, engineering, tourism, social...);
  • Great potential impact for the project given, among other things, the lack of initiatives to support Francophone immigration at the local/regional level;
  • Confirmed involvement of members locally.

 

On Saturday, March 23, following a recommendation from the RIF Advisory Committee, the FFTNL Provincial Council unanimously decided by resolution that the host Francophone community would be Labrador City-Wabush for the development and implementation of the Francophone Community project.