NEWS RELEASE 2012-03-20 | French Language Services Commissioner

NEWS RELEASE 2012-03-20

Commissioner Boileau applauds government actions to address lack of French-language schools in Greater Toronto Area

TORONTO, March 20, 2012 – French Language Services Commissioner François Boileau is pleased with the significant progress made by the Government of Ontario to address the lack of French-language schools in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Since the publication of the Commissioner’s investigation report on this matter in June 2011, the government has taken a number of steps to address this issue, including announcing plans to build nine additional French-language schools in the GTA.

“Our report revealed that parents wishing to enrol their children in primary and secondary education in French in the GTA were forced to choose between a lengthy commute or enrolling their children in an English school. This was simply unacceptable,” said Commissioner François Boileau.

The Commissioner’s report also revealed that while demand for French-language education in the GTA continued to increase, English-language public school boards were reporting — and continue to report — a decrease in enrolment: a situation that has led to a surplus of school properties that could be put to better use.

“It goes without saying that the various components of our education system should be aligned to serve the needs of French-language and English-language students. There should be no other priority. Indeed, everything else is a secondary consideration.”

To address the situation of unused surplus school properties, the Commissioner requested changes to Ontario Regulation 444/98 to support more effective and efficient real estate transactions between school boards. Though the Commissioner would have expected a clearer timeline, the Ministry of Education has nonetheless indicated its willingness to amend this regulation while respecting the constitutional and legal autonomy of school boards.

QUICK FACTS

  • The Commissioner’s investigation revealed that the shortage of French-language schools, coupled with a steady increase in the number of students wishing to study in French, had led to an overpopulation of students in French-language schools in the GTA.

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  • The investigation found that two out of three existing French-language secondary schools in the GTA had surpassed the 100% occupancy rate.

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  • The Commissioner also discovered that flaws in Ontario Regulation 444/98 had a direct impact on the Francophone community, limiting their ability to acquire new facilities.

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  • This limitation, according to the Commissioner, amounted to leaving the door wide open for the assimilation of young French-speaking Ontarians.

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  • The Commissioner’s investigation report contained three recommendations.

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  • The first recommendation urged the government to directly address the shortage of French-language schools in the GTA by building or providing new facilities.

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  • The second recommendation urged the government to modify the rules related to the sale and transfer of surplus school properties to ensure transparency and fairness.

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  • The third recommendation requested that the Ministry of Education create incentives for collaborative, joint capital projects between school boards.

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  • The Commissioner’s report did not investigate the issue of the equivalent quality of academic and extracurricular programs and services by French and English-language schools in given neighbourhoods, as raised by certain parents.

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  • Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees minority language education rights at the elementary and secondary levels.

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  • The provinces have an obligation to ensure that those rights are upheld.

     

    LEARN MORE

    The Commissioner’s report entitled French-language schools in the Greater Toronto Area: When the most elementary becomes secondary is available for viewing or download on the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner’s website, www.flsc.gov.on.ca, in the PUBLICATIONS section.

    You may also wish to read the Ministry’s response to the Commissioner’s recommendations and the terms of reference of the newly established Public Asset Work Group.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Gyula Kovacs
    Public Relations and Communications Officer
    Office of the French Language Services Commissioner
    416 314-8247 or 1-866-246-5262
    communications.FLSCcsf@ontario.ca

     

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