By Charles Lefebvre

Province working to enhance French services

Dec 20, 2018 | 4:27 PM

EDMONTON, AB — The provincial government has announced plans to enhance French services in Alberta in the coming years.

The province is launching the French Policy 2018-21 Action Plan. According to a news release, it will include new and enhanced programs, more translated materials, and more collaboration with community groups, taking place over the next three years.

“This cross-ministry plan supports the growing number of people in Alberta who speak French,” said Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism, in a statement. “I’m proud to help make life better for French-speaking people and to implement the French Policy in a meaningful and collaborative way.”

According to a news release, French is the most widely spoken language spoken in Alberta after English. According to a 2016 report from Statistics Canada, 268,615 Albertans speak French, with 86,705 saying French is their first language.

Alberta Education says one in three students in the province is learning French, and 31 communities in Alberta have either a Francophone school, a group of Francophone organizations or facilities or a Francophone cultural centre. Medicine Hat has a Francophone school, Ecole les Cypres.

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The French Policy was introduced in Alberta in June 2017. The Franco-Albertan flag has been named an official emblem of Alberta, and March is Alberta Francophonie Month. The Alberta Advisory Council on the Francophonie has been formed to help implement the French Policy.