Canada invests $20.5M in inclusive labor markets for minorities

The Canadian government has announced an additional $20.5 million in funding over the next five years to support Francophone and Anglophone minority communities to foster inclusive labour markets.

This minority community includes English speakers in Quebec and French speakers outside Quebec or individuals who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white individuals such as black Canadians.

This new allocation to the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities Program was highlighted by Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages.

With this boost, the enabling fund, which had already secured an investment of $74.5 million for 2023–2028, will now total $95 million.

This funding supports 14 organisations across Canada, ensuring each province and territory has one Francophone and one Anglophone organisation. The announcement was made during the Dialogue Days, an annual consultation with these organisations, following discussions at the Workforce Summit 2024 on future labour market development.

The Enabling Fund’s goal is to enhance the vitality of official language minority communities by supporting community economic development, human resource development, and partnerships that foster inclusive local labour markets. Over the past five years, the fund has helped create at least 60 new businesses and over 4,500 jobs.

Each year, more than 90,000 individuals, businesses, and community groups benefit from the programme’s activities, including over 11,000 young people and 12,000 newcomers.

This latest funding commitment reaffirms the government’s dedication to fostering the diversity and vitality of Canada’s official language minority communities.

The Enabling Fund also contributes to the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration, which aims to promote the equality of English and French in Canadian society.

Minister Boissonnault said, “By removing barriers to labour participation, we can help more Canadian families find good jobs. This includes addressing language barriers and ensuring people can access the support they need.

“Today’s $20.5 million top-up in the Enabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities Program gives 14 organisations across Canada the tools they need to help more Canadians in minority language communities find and keep good jobs.”