Characteristics
The French-speaking population of Alberta is growing strong. According to the Statistics Canada census of June 2016, French is the mother tongue of 88,140 people in Alberta. It is also estimated that over 268,600 Albertans can speak French.
Five municipalities are officially bilingual: Beaumont, Legal, Falher, Plamondon and Grande Prairie.
March was declared Mois de la Francophonie (Francophonie Month) on March 1, 2018
French was the first European language spoken in the territories that became Alberta in 1905.
The extended family of the ACFA includes 13 regional ACFAs and a local circle, as well as 13 community-school liaison officers who help maintain the vitality of the Francophone community throughout the province.
Francophone spokesbody
Since 1926, the ACFA has been the spokesbody for the Albertan Francophone community, fully committed to supporting its overall development. The ACFA’s responsibilities include consultation with Francophone organizations across the province and community development planning. Finally, in collaboration with the province’s other Francophone organizations, the ACFA promotes pride and French cultural expression throughout Alberta and presents a positive image of Albertan Francophonie to the Albertan population at large.
Immigration
The Franco-Albertan community has established reception structures to guide and assist newcomers in their initial settlement and integration process. Operating under the responsibility of the ACFA’s provincial administrative council, the Réseau en immigration francophone de l'Alberta (RIFA) is a framework that supports the community in the implementation of community action plans to successfully receive, settle and integrate newcomers. RIFA is responsible for soliciting and fostering the engagement of all key players in the province, including federal, provincial and municipal government representatives, to maximize their contribution to the success of Francophone immigration.
