Franco-Ontarian

Franco- Ontarians (French Franco - ontarien, Eng. Franco - Ontarian, sometimes Ontarois ) are called the French-speaking residents of the Canadian province of Ontario. According to the 2001 census, 485 630 French-speaking Canadians live in Ontario (specification of a single mother tongue ), which corresponds to 4.3% of the population. More 82 305 people gave French as one of their native languages. The Franco- Ontarians are the largest French- speaking community in Canada outside of Quebec City and the largest linguistic minority within Ontario. The spoken French in Ontario differs very little from the Quebec French, but has tended to have more anglicisms on.

Dissemination

The Franco- Ontario's population is mainly focused on the region of Eastern Ontario ( 41.3 % of the population ) with the cities of Ottawa and Cornwall, as well as on the region Nordostontario ( 25.2 %) with the cities of Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins. Other important francophone communities exist in Toronto, Windsor, Penetanguishene and Welland. Ottawa ( 128 620 people) has the numerically largest francophone community, Sudbury with 29 %, the highest percentage among major cities. In small towns in rural areas, the proportion tends to be higher, in the Prescott and Russell United Counties he is, for example, around two thirds. The municipality with the largest francophone proportion Hearst in the Cochrane District with 96%.

Legal Status

Although Ontario is not officially bilingual, referred to the French Language Services Act 25 areas in which the provincial authorities are obliged to offer services in French. This applies to areas where either live 5000 Francophone or where their share in the total population is higher than 10 percent. The law is limited to services in the province. Local authorities are not obliged to apply the law but voluntarily. 44 communities in Ontario are officially or functionally bilingual at the level of local authorities. Most of these communities are organized in the Assemblée de la francophonie de l' Ontario.

In the following districts (marked dark blue on the map) applies the law in the entire area:

  • Algoma District
  • Cochrane District
  • Greater Sudbury
  • Hamilton
  • Kingston
  • Nipissing District
  • Ottawa
  • Prescott and Russell United Counties
  • Sudbury District
  • Timiskaming District
  • Toronto

In the following districts ( marked in light blue on the map) applies the law in individual communities:

The Office of Francophone Affairs (French Office des affaires francophones ) is a government agency that is responsible for the provision of services in French. Francophones who live outside the designated areas can apply directly to the government authority or a neighboring designated district. The legal system of Ontario is officially bilingual in all areas if individual legal transactions must be for lack of French -speaking judicial officer transferred to another district in certain areas. Should a Francophone a hearing in his own language, he this must not be denied.

Franco-Ontarian flag Cornwall (Ontario) North Bay, Ontario Windsor (Ontario) United Counties of Prescott and Russell Hamilton (Ontario) Kingston (Ontario) Essex County (Ontario) Middlesex County (Ontario) Regional Municipality of Niagara Regional Municipality of Peel United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
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