A new national report is raising concerns about the future of French-language community organizations across Canada, warning that many are struggling to stay financially stable, hire employees and maintain services despite increased federal funding.
The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (FCFA) released its findings Thursday, October 29, painting a troubling picture of the financial pressures facing organizations that provide services to French-speaking communities outside Quebec.
The report, titled Des fondations essentielles pour la francophonie, is based on a survey of 158 Francophone organizations across the country.
Among the findings, 48 percent of organizations say their financial future remains uncertain over the next three years, while nearly 80 percent report not having enough staff or the ability to recruit the employees needed to fully carry out their work. Another 67 percent say they pay salaries below the Canadian average.
The federal government announced $4.1 billion over five years through its Official Languages Action Plan for 2023 to 2028, providing additional support for minority-language communities.
That investment helped prevent a financial crisis that, just four years ago, had some organizations warning they were only months away from closing.
However, FCFA president Liane Roy says the additional funding has not solved the underlying problems.
While organizations have managed to keep their doors open, rising operating costs, inflation and ongoing staffing shortages continue to put pressure on their ability to deliver services.
The report also found that 59 percent of organizations cannot describe their current financial situation as stable, while 45 percent identified financial uncertainty and inflation as major problems that have not been resolved by federal investments.
Finding and keeping qualified employees is another major challenge.
According to additional reporting by ONFR, 79 percent of surveyed organizations say they either lack the employees they need or can only partially meet their staffing requirements.
Nearly six in ten organizations operate with five or fewer full-time employees, leaving smaller groups particularly vulnerable when someone leaves or funding becomes uncertain.
Pay is also an issue. Two-thirds of organizations offer average annual salaries below the Canadian benchmark of approximately $65,000 used in the report.
That makes it difficult for community organizations to compete with government departments, larger institutions and private businesses for qualified bilingual employees.
Despite those challenges, 86 percent of organizations surveyed believe the quality of their services and activities remains adequate or very good.
However, maintaining that level of service with limited resources is becoming increasingly difficult.
The findings are particularly relevant to communities throughout Prescott-Russell and Eastern Ontario, where French-language organizations play an important role in maintaining local services and cultural activities.
From community events and cultural programming to youth initiatives, education, employment assistance and support for seniors, many smaller organizations depend heavily on government grants and community volunteers.
In communities such as Hawkesbury, Clarence-Rockland, Casselman and Embrun, maintaining access to French-language services is an important part of preserving the region’s Francophone identity.
The financial challenges identified in the national report could make it increasingly difficult for organizations serving smaller communities to expand programs, hire staff or plan for the future.
Ontario’s Francophone advocacy organization, the Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario, has also raised concerns in recent years about what it considers inadequate federal funding compared with other provinces and territories.
The FCFA says smaller organizations are especially vulnerable because they often provide services that might otherwise be unavailable in French in their communities.
Another major concern is how federal funding is distributed.
Many organizations depend on short-term grants tied to individual projects rather than guaranteed funding that would allow them to plan several years ahead.
That can leave organizations uncertain about whether they will have enough money to retain employees, maintain facilities or continue programs from one year to the next.
The FCFA is calling on Ottawa to introduce longer-term funding agreements, adjust financial support to account for inflation and simplify the paperwork required to apply for and report on government grants.
The organization argues that smaller groups often spend considerable time preparing applications and meeting administrative requirements, taking valuable resources away from the services they provide.
The latest report also found that approximately 23 percent of organizations are operating with a deficit, despite improvements in federal support.
The report comes as the federal government begins consultations on its next Official Languages Action Plan, covering 2028 through 2033.
The FCFA plans to present its financial recommendations to Ottawa in the coming weeks, with a news conference scheduled for November 27.
The organization says Canada needs to strengthen the community groups and institutions that support French-language services, particularly as the country prepares to host the international Francophonie Summit in 2028.
For the FCFA, the concern is no longer simply whether organizations can survive another year, but whether they will have the resources needed to meet the growing demands of Francophone communities across the country.