Province Renews Funding Agreements for French-language Services, Education

The province and the government of Canada have renewed two cost-sharing agreements to promote and support French-language services and education in Nova Scotia.

Acadian Affairs Minister Graham Steele and Education Minister Marilyn More were joined by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore in Halifax today, Aug. 9, to make the announcement.

The province and the government of Canada are contributing equally to the Canada-Nova Scotia Agreement on French-language Services 2009-2013, worth a total of $11.2 million.

"Supporting the planning and delivery of French-language programs and services in Nova Scotia helps make life better for families," said Mr. Steele. "I am pleased that the collaboration between our governments and will continue to allow the Acadian and francophone community to access provincial government services in their maternal language."

Funding from the agreement will be used to support French-language programs and services, language training for government employees, translation services and French-language services co-ordinator positions. The agreement will be managed by the Office of Acadian Affairs through the Nova Scotia Strategic Plan for French-language Services.

The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have also renewed the Official Languages in Education Protocol agreement -- a four-year cost-sharing agreement to promote and support French-language education in Nova Scotia schools.

The governments are contributing equally to the bilateral agreement, worth a total of $61.2 million. The funding will help the province offset additional costs to provide quality French-language education and French second-language instruction at all levels.

"This agreement is an investment in our young people from the Acadian and francophone community, as well as young Nova Scotians who want to learn French as a second language," said Ms. More. "The agreement helps ensure that Nova Scotia can continue to provide quality French first- and second-language education to students of all ages."

The agreement provides funding for curriculum development for French first-language education and second-language instruction, student bursaries and summer camps, teacher support programs, and educational materials and resources. It also includes funding for numeracy and literacy programs for students of the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial.

Nova Scotia has about 75,000 public school students enrolled in French language programs.

Both agreements span from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2013.