Celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day
First recognized in 2010, Franco-Ontarian Day represents over 400 years of Francophone history, celebrating the community’s social, economic, cultural, and political contributions in our province.
September 25th is officially celebrated as Franco-Ontarian Day. In 1986, the provincial government passed the French Language Services Act which made French an official language of the province's education system, judiciary, and legislature, and guaranteed an individual’s right to receive government services in French.
At the Ontario Trillium Foundation, today, and every day, we celebrate the more than 700,000 Francophones and 1.5 million Ontarians who can speak French. Through our grants, we invest in a range of projects and non-profit organizations that play a significant role in improving the quality of life for Ontarians and build inclusive and diverse communities. Working with local organizations across the province, we have invested more than $25 million in initiatives benefiting Franco-Ontarians – helping to build connections, honour history, and celebrate the work of Francophones in our communities.
Additionally, we remain committed to supporting the Francophone community by:
- offering supports, resources, and grant applications in both official languages, English and French.
- having Francophone staff and volunteers review and assess French grant applications, or projects targeting Francophone communities.
- recognizing the needs and expectations of the Francophone communities of Ontario and providing quality services in French, in accordance with the French Language Services Act of Ontario and OTF’s French Language Services Policy.
Ontario’s Francophone community, its history, and its culture, continue to make our province a richer, more vibrant place to call home.
Learn more about the Franco-Ontarian community and its priorities through our partner organization, L'Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario (AFO).