Economic Development of Official Language Minority Communities : Report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages

In fall 2023, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages (the Committee) undertook a study on the economic development of official language minority communities (OLMCs). It aimed to study “the development of best practices and economic models to follow, an analysis of the funding and services provided by economic agencies, an evaluation of current government of Canada programs for entrepreneurs, and the development of new, flexible programs and tools that are sensitive to the realities of official language minority communities and that reflect regional differences as well as the needs of rural communities in order to strengthen the economy and make these regions more attractive.” This report summarizes the main ideas emerging from the testimony the Committee heard and the briefs it received over the course of its study. The recommendations draw from the evidence to guide the Government of Canada in achieving its socioeconomic development objectives for OLMCs. The report takes into account the new asymmetrical approach of the Official Languages Act, which recognizes that French is in a minority situation in Canada and North America due to the predominant use of English and that the English linguistic minority community in Quebec and the French linguistic minority communities in the other provinces and territories have different needs.