MP Dean Allison Announces Important Investment in Niagara Francophone Organization


THOROLD, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 20, 2015) - Member of Parliament for Niagara West-Glanbrook Dean Allison, on behalf of FedDev Ontario Minister of State Gary Goodyear, today announced up to $14,170 in support of the Francophone community in the Niagara Region.

With this investment, the Venture Niagara Community Futures Development Corporation will work with community partners to develop an indepth socio-demographic and economic profile of the Francophone community in the Niagara Region. The profile will serve as a tool to mobilize the Francophone community in the region, facilitate partnerships and collaborations, and increase economic development opportunities.

Venture Niagara is one of six bilingual Community Futures Development Corporations in southern Ontario that provides services in French to the local Francophone community. It also acts as a catalyst, providing funding and support services to community partners in the delivery of local economic development activities.

This project is supported through the Economic Development Initiative, as part of the Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration and Communities - the Government of Canada's strategy for official languages.

Quick Facts

  • The Economic Development Initiative is the key economic development initiative for official language minority communities under the Government of Canada's Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018. Through the Roadmap, the Government of Canada is investing $1.1 billion across 15 federal departments and agencies with the goal of ensuring the vitality of English and French in Canada through education, immigration, and communities.
  • FedDev Ontario first launched the Economic Development Initiative (EDI) in 2009. From 2009 to 2013, the EDI has invested $2.6 million in 30 business and community development projects across southern Ontario. This investment has leveraged an estimated $2.5 million in additional support for these projects from partners such as Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canadian Heritage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, as well as local businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
  • Through the EDI, FedDev Ontario will invest up to $4 million in additional funding to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, partnerships, and the diversification of economic activities in official language minority communities.
  • Ontario's Francophone population increased almost 50 percent between 1951 and 2006, and increased an additional 4.5% from 2006 to 2011. Ontario is now home to 611,500 Franco-Ontarians.

Quotes

"Our Government is committed to strengthening the vitality of the Francophone community in the Niagara region. This important funding will encourage employment and retention of Niagara's French speaking workforce by allowing the Francophone community to demonstrate its value and highlight the benefits of doing business in French."

  • Dean Allison, Member of Parliament for Niagara West-Glanbrook

"We are most appreciative of these resources to help us work with our Francophone community partners. This profile will allow us to gain a better understanding of the Francophone community and how best to promote it within the Niagara region and southern Ontario as a whole."

  • Frank Rupcic, General Manager, Venture Niagara Community Futures Development Corporation

Associated Links

Economic Development Initiative

Roadmap for Canada's Official Languages 2013-2018.

Venture Niagara Community Futures Development Corporation

Subscribe to our news updates and follow us on Twitter @FedDevOntario

Contact Information:

Erica Furtado
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gary Goodyear
613-943-7599

Media Relations
FedDev Ontario
416-954-6652
FedDevMedia@FedDevOntario.gc.ca
Toll Free: 1-866-593-5505
Website: www.FedDevOntario.gc.ca