A few facts

• The French-language school network in minority communities – in other words, outside the Province of Quebec – encompasses 28 school boards located in all of Canada’s provinces and territories except Quebec..

• These school boards comprise more than 700 elementary and secondary schools that collectively serve some 173,000 students.

• French-language education in Canada is supported by a network of services for students ranging in age from early childhood to adulthood.

• The French-language education system is based on the concept of the civic community school (CCS), which is founded on the three pillars of success, engagement and an education continuum. A CCS is an educational space fully rooted in the community, yet open to the world. The CCS approach is designed to reach out to students, school staff, parents and all other partners. It promotes their political, economic and socio-cultural engagement in the Francophone community.

• Almost 10 million Canadians – over 30% of Canada’s population – speak French. In addition to those in the Province of Quebec, where the prevailing language is French, Francophones are present across Canada. (Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census)

• The job placement rate for university graduates is high, with unemployment some 3 to 4% lower than it is for Canada’s general population. (Source: http://www.universityworks.ca/en/)

• Employment income is higher than it is for the general population, with Francophones earning $3,500 more than non-Francophones. For more detail, see the report entitled “L’espace économique de la francophonie canadienne”, prepared by the Conference Board of Canada for the Regroupement des gens d’affaires de la Capitale nationale.