French community papers and radio stations in primarily English areas are about to get some help from the federal government. As part of its Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028, the Government of Canada has earmarked $12.5 million to be invested in community media in official language minority communities.
According to a statement by the government, $7.5 million of this will be allocated to 89 new projects over the next four years, contributing to the vitality of community media in minority communities across the country. “This investment will help identify and implement the measures needed to strategically strengthen community media and increase their capacity to serve Canada’s official language minority populations,” says the government.
The rest of the funds will be put toward training the next generation of community media professionals, while addressing the labour shortages in the sector. To that end, 125 paid internships will be created at 98 community media organizations across Canada.
“Community media are at the heart of minority communities across Canada. They tell local stories, help maintain and develop our local and national identities, and ensure that Canadians from coast to coast to coast have access to quality information,” said Randy Boissonnault, minister of employment, workforce development and official languages.
The investment represents a small drop in the bucket of the Action Plan, which provides for a total investment of $4.1 billion to support seven departments and 33 new or enhanced measures aimed at protecting and promoting the country’s official languages. According to the government’s statement, every province and territory has official language minority communities, each with its own unique reality and needs. “The Action Plan aims to respond to the unique challenges facing Francophone communities outside Quebec and English-speaking communities in Quebec,” it said.