Review on Official Languages (2024 to 2025): Part VII

Minister responsible: Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

Deputy head: Shalene Curtis-Micallef, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada

National coordinator responsible for the implementation of section 41 (Part VII): Karina Desmarais Yelle, Deputy Director and Senior Counsel, Official Languages Directorate

Advancement of equality of status and use of English and French

Question 1. In addition to the programs and services offered (see question below on programs and services), the institution ensured that positive measures were taken for the advancement of equality of status and use of English and French.

Answer: always

Here are two examples, among others, of positive measures taken by Justice Canada in 2024 to 2025:

• The Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Support Fund (Support Fund)

  This is the main financial lever that the Department of Justice has established to contribute to the creation of diverse initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of the Anglophone and Francophone minorities.

  The Support Fund is designed to provide resources to facilitate access to justice in both official languages through various means, such as the creation of legal and linguistic tools, workshops and training to bilingual lawyers and stakeholders of the justice system, the development of related training material and the provision of public legal information. The activities and projects undertaken pursuant to the Support Fund are aligned with the Government’s commitment to advancing the equality of status and use of English and French.

  In 2024 to 2025, as positive measures for the advancement of equality of status and use of French and English, the Department of Justice supported 102 projects through the Support Fund that increased the offering of legal information and of socio-legal support services for Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) and that strengthened the bilingual capacity of the justice system through language training, professional development, and the promotion of the language of the law.

• The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

  In the 2024 to 2025 period, the CFJF took active steps to promote the equality of status and use of English and French through a variety of initiatives. Here are some key efforts:

  • Enhancing access to justice for OLMCs

    The CFJF provided funding for projects that produced family justice resources in both official languages, improving accessibility for minority language groups. This included the development of plain-language materials on family law topics and bilingual public legal education sessions to ensure equitable access to information.

  • Professional development and training

    To strengthen services for English and French-speaking Canadians, the CFJF funded training programs designed to enhance the skills of family justice professionals. These programs featured specialized sessions tailored to the specific needs of OLMCs, providing professionals with the necessary tools to provide effective bilingual support.

  • Raising public awareness and expanding educational resources

    The CFJF backed initiatives aimed at increasing public understanding of family justice matters in both official languages. Efforts included the creation of interactive online tools and educational materials accessible in English and French, broadening outreach and ensuring Canadians have the resources they need to navigate family law.

  • Modernization and digital advancements

    By investing in information technology enhancements and bilingual digital platforms, the CFJF strengthened its commitment to linguistic equality. The development of multilingual support tools and language translation services helped bridge communication gaps, ensuring OLMCs have improved access to family justice-related information and services.

Question 2. Type of positive measure: Promote and support the learning of both official languages in Canadian society

Answer: yes

Support Fund

• Positive measure: Among the projects supported by the Support Fund, there are specialized language training projects. Trainings for Crown prosecutors offered by the Attorney General of British Columbia and the Attorney General of Ontario are two examples of these types of training.
• Impact: The main impact of these trainings is found in the capacity of Canada’s justice system to function adequately in the two official languages, when necessary.
• Success factors: The success factor of this type of project is the number of Crown prosecutors and other justice system stakeholders that have followed these trainings.
• Result: The results of these projects are an increase in access to justice in both official languages and an increase in the use of the minority official languages in a judicial context.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF holds a crucial role in fostering bilingualism within the legal system, especially in matters related to family law. It provides funding for initiatives that promote linguistic equality by ensuring that legal documents, proceedings, and services are accessible in both English and French. By doing so, the fund upholds linguistic rights and enhances access to justice for all Canadians.

In relation to the Divorce Act, the CFJF offers additional financial support to facilitate the implementation of its provisions, which emphasize bilingualism and the equal standing of both official languages in Canada’s legal framework. This funding ensures that individuals involved in family law cases can obtain information and services in either English or French, thereby advancing fairness and accessibility within the justice system.

During 2024 to 2025, the CFJF supported five projects that aligned with the Divorce Act. Here is an example:

• Positive measure: Manitoba’s “Implementation of Official Language Provision – Divorce Act” project facilitated the implementation of training sessions, public awareness campaigns, and community outreach to enhance the understanding of the Divorce Act.
• Impact: The project provided direct support to families navigating separation and divorce, particularly addressing issues related to parenting arrangements and family violence considerations. Culturally appropriate resources were developed to ensure accessibility for various communities.
• Success factors: Key success factors included strong engagement with local communities and stakeholders, the use of multilingual and culturally responsive materials, and partnerships with legal experts and advocacy groups. The project led to significant improvements, with many participants reporting increased knowledge and confidence in navigating legal processes. Additionally, professionals working with separating families adopted best practices, and the resources developed continued to be used beyond the project’s duration.
• Results: As a result, awareness among legal professionals, service providers, and the general public increased, leading to improved access to justice for families. The project also strengthened collaboration among stakeholders, including legal aid services and family support organizations.

Question 3. Type of positive measure: Foster an acceptance and appreciation of both English and French in Canadian society

Answer: yes

Support Fund

Some of the projects supported by the Support Fund are oriented toward the sharing of legal information in plain language. These projects help members of OLMCs to better know their rights as a linguistic minority. Consequently, these projects encourage the use of minority official languages.

• Positive measure: Examples of this type of project include the various legal information services offered by the legal information centres managed by the Associations de juristes d’expression française.
• Impact: The main impacts of these services are the increase in legal knowledge among litigants in OLMCs and a better understanding of their rights as a linguistic minority.
• Success factors: The success factor of these services is the number of persons who benefit from them in their efforts to access justice in the official language of their choice.
• Result: The results of this project are an increase in access to justice in both official languages and in the use of minority official languages in a judicial context.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF promotes the recognition and appreciation of both official languages in the realm of family law by supporting initiatives that advance bilingualism and ensure equitable access to legal services in English and French. By funding programs and projects designed to strengthen language equality, the fund helps build a legal system where individuals navigating family law can obtain information, documentation, and services in the language of their choice. Through its focus on linguistic diversity and facilitating communication in both English and French, the fund fosters an inclusive environment where both languages are equally respected and valued within Canada’s family justice system.

Newfoundland and Labrador

• Positive measure: The ongoing project led by the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador aims to enhance access to justice in both official languages by addressing language barriers in family law proceedings.
• Impacts: Key initiatives include hiring bilingual Court Officers, a judicial assistant/transcriptionist, and Family Court Counsellors to facilitate Divorce Act proceedings in French, providing bilingual legal information sessions, and supporting mediation and counseling services.
• Success factors: The project also includes the translation of judicial documents, forms and legal resources, the installation of simultaneous interpretation equipment, the contracting of interpretation services, and the development of bilingual training programs for court staff.
• Results: Through these efforts, the project strengthens the province’s capacity to deliver family justice services in both English and French, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for linguistic minority communities.

Ontario

• Positive measure: Ontario’s implementation of the Divorce Act’s official languages provisions focuses on enhancing access to justice in both official languages through simultaneous interpretation, translation services, and staff training.
• Impacts: Provide support for remote and in-person interpretation in proceedings before the Superior Court through the acquisition, by the Ministry of the Attorney General, of mobile interpretation kits, laptops, and security equipment.
• Success factors: Enhancements to the interpreter scheduling tool enable the tracking of interpretation requests, while increased translation services accommodate growing language rights demands. Court staff training programs and updated resources ensure accurate implementation of language provisions, supporting approximately 400 staff members with ongoing refresher sessions.
• Results: These efforts aim to strengthen Ontario’s capacity to provide bilingual family justice services.

Question 4. Type of positive measure: Promote the bilingual character of Canada in Canada or elsewhere

Answer: yes

Justice Canada’s Official Languages Directorate promotes the bilingual character of Canada by hosting every year activities for the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie in March and for the Official Languages Day in September. In September 2024, for Official Languages Day, a hybrid and bilingual musical event featuring music in English and French was presented. In March 2025, a hybrid and bilingual event featuring a musician from an OLMC and a documentary screening about this OLMC (‘Trécarré : à la source du son de la Baie Sainte-Marie’), were organized for the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie.

Question 5. Type of positive measure: Support the creation and dissemination of information in French that contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge

Answer: yes

Support Fund

Obtaining and disseminating data through scientific research projects is a priority of the Support Fund.

Here are examples of scientific projects in French supported by the Support Fund:

• McGill University
  • Positive measure: a research project from McGill University on the capacity of the justice system and its stakeholders to provide French-language services for OLMCs outside Québec.
  • Impacts: A better understanding of the capacity of the justice system and its stakeholders to offer services in French outside Québec, to help stakeholders in the field, including the Department of Justice, to base their actions on scientific data.
  • Success factors: Extensive participation from a variety of pan-Canadian stakeholders to produce a research project that provides a true picture of reality.
  • Results: A scientific research project in French that increases knowledge of the current ecosystem in the field of access to justice in French outside Québec and promotes reflection to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne
  • Positive measure: Research project from the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) on the demographics and needs of professionals who can work in both official languages in the justice system outside Quebec.
  • Impacts: A better understanding of the ecosystem among justice professionals in French OLMCs, allowing the ACUFC, its members, and other actors in the field, such as the Department of Justice, to take evidence-based decisions.
  • Success factors: Obtaining concrete and effective data on the ability of justice system professionals outside of Quebec to work in both official languages.
  • Results: A scientific research project in French that increases the demographic knowledge of justice system professionals who can work in both official languages and offers a better understanding of their needs, thus allowing for in-depth reflection to support evidence-based decision-making.
• University of Moncton
  • Positive measure: University of Moncton research project on access to French-language services in the youth criminal justice system of New Brunswick.
  • Impacts: A better understanding, through scientific data, of access to justice issues in French in the youth criminal justice system in New Brunswick.
  • Success factors: To obtain extensive and reliable data on the situation in New Brunswick with respect to the youth criminal justice system.
  • Results: A French-language scientific research project identifying gaps in access to justice in French in the youth criminal justice system in New Brunswick, which would feed evidence-based thinking processes and decision-making.

Question 6. Type of positive measure: Support sectors that are essential to enhancing the vitality of official language minority communities (culture, education [from early childhood to post-secondary education], health, justice, employment)

Answer: yes

Culture: Not applicable. Justice Canada is not mandated to provide this type of service.

Education: yes

Under the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP), here is a project that targets education:

• Positive measure: Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia: Workplace Sexual Harassment – Public Legal Education and Information (PLEI) Project
• Impact: The project aims to develop legal information and tools to address workplace sexual harassment with a focus on vulnerable populations and employers in male-dominated sectors including agriculture, higher education institutions and the trucking sector in Nova Scotia.
• Success factors: The success factors of this project are:
  • Establishing partnerships with Francophone organizations, with whom they maintain Memorandums of Association, to support the needs of official language minority groups in Nova Scotia
  • Hiring a bilingual legal information counsellor who will support the delivery of the project in both official languages
  • Educating and informing migrant workers about sexual harassment laws through PLEI resources and training sessions offered in both official languages
  • Trucking sector workers have access to updated PLEI resources on workplace sexual harassment in both official languages
• Results: The recipient concluded Memorandums of Association with three Francophone organizations, who identified the need for the legal resources included in this project and who will work in partnership with the recipient to support the needs of official language minority groups in Nova Scotia.

Health: Not applicable. Justice Canada is not mandated to provide this type of service.

Justice: yes

Support Fund

The Support Fund is a program expressly designed to support access to justice in both official languages for OLMCs. Under the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023 to 2028, the Support Fund has two priorities:

• Support for OLMCs: boost the supply of legal information and socio-legal support services for OLMCs, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations within those communities.
• Support to the justice system: reinforce the bilingual capacity of the justice system through language training, professional development, and the promotion of the language of the law.

Here are two Support Fund projects that contribute to the achievement of these priorities:

• Plain language legal information
  • Positive measure: The project, “Justice in both languages for all”, by the Maison d’hébergement pour femmes francophones, is conceived to offer plain language legal information services to francophone women living in great precarity in Toronto. The goal of this project is to increase their legal knowledge and their access to justice in both official languages.
  • Impact: The principal impact of the project is to increase legal knowledge.
  • Success factors: The success factor of this project is the reduction of the vulnerability experienced by francophone women thanks to a better access to justice.
  • Results: The main result of the project is the 202 women having benefitted from the legal information offered.
• Language training for provincial judges
  • Positive measure: The project, “Language training for provincial judges 2023 to 2026”, by Juralingo, is conceived to support the capacity of provincial judges called to work in both official languages.
  • Impact: The key impact of this project is an increase in the capacity of provincial judges to work in both official languages.
  • Success factors: The main success factor of this project is the 68 judges trained by Juralingo.
  • Results: The key result of this project is the establishment of a relevant and accessible justice system that meets the needs of the Canadian population and where the justice system is able to offer services in both official languages.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

• Positive measure: The Quebec based project titled, "Support for fathers in their family legal proceedings", responds to a need from fathers seeking greater support throughout the entire family justice process.
• Impact: The expertise of Maison Oxygène Joliette-Lanaudière, combined with the involvement of the Legal Aid Bureau, English Community Organization of Lanaudière (ECOL), and lawyers, enables a collective consultation and ownership of the project.
• Success factors: The collaboration with ECOL, a Lanaudière-based organization supporting the region’s English-speaking community, ensures live translation and document support related to the fathers’ legal proceedings.
• Results: As a result, English-speaking fathers have better access to services and a clearer understanding of the issues within the family justice system. This initiative aligns with the Official Languages Act by ensuring equal access to justice for both French and English-speaking individuals, promoting linguistic equality and inclusivity in the legal process.

Employment: yes

Under the JPIP, here is a project that targets employment:

• Positive measure: Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children, Western University: Legal Education and Resources for Sexual Harassment in the Skilled Trades. The project aims to create and disseminate public legal education and information resources on sexual harassment for those in the skilled trades sector.
• Impact: The project partners with Unifor, a private sector union, to raise awareness of mechanisms for support when experiencing or witnessing sexual harassment at work and analyze Unifor’s existing training to ensure appropriate workplace responses to complainants. The project raises employer awareness of their responsibilities under Canada’s legal framework, and conduct research to increase understanding of sexual harassment within the skilled trades sector. The recipient involves Francophone members of Unifor through its local committee throughout all aspects of the project and collaborates with a Francophone organization who is able to deliver training and participate in research activities in both English and French.
• Success factors: Outreach activities are designed to target OLMCs to ensure their inclusion in research activities.
• Results: All public education and information resources will be offered in both English and French.

Question 7. Type of positive measure: Immigration

Answer: yes

The Support Fund includes a project that raises the awareness of newcomers to Canada in the anglophone OLMC to their rights to access justice in both official languages.

• Positive measure: Refugee Centre project entitled “Access to justice for asylum seekers and refugees in the Greater Montreal region”. One of the objectives of this project is to support English-speaking asylum seekers and refugees in their efforts to access justice in the official language of their choice through workshops during which plain language legal information is shared.
• Impact: One of the principal impacts of the project is judicial support to migrant persons who are looking to integrate into an OLMC.
• Success factors: The success factor for this project is the number of persons who have participated in the information workshops.
• Results: For 2024 to 2025, this project aimed to offer 25 workshops to roughly 700 immigrants in total.

Question 8. Type of positive measure: Protect and promote the presence of strong institutions serving official language minority communities

Answer: yes

The Support Fund offers core funding to non-profit organizations devoted to OLMCs to set up their activities.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

• Positive measure: The project titled "Child-Centred Information and Resources" has launched a website, FamiliesChange.ca, initially serving families in British Columbia, including kids, teens, and parents.
• Impact: With funding from Justice Canada, the site expanded nationally, offering jurisdiction-specific information for all ten provinces, making it a truly nationwide family justice resource. FamiliesChange.ca has provided information to over 335,000 unique visitors across Canada.
• Success factors: FamiliesChange.ca adopts a gender-inclusive approach to parenting, both in its content and imagery. The platform is inclusive and diverse, with user testing and focus groups that reflect Canada’s varied demographics, including women, girls, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups. Special attention is given to the needs of marginalized and underrepresented populations.

• Results: In accordance with the Divorce Act, which strengthens access to family justice in both official languages, FamiliesChange.ca ensures that all resources and information are available in English and French, making them accessible to families across Canada, regardless of linguistic background.

  The updated FamiliesChange.ca also incorporates Indigenous perspectives on family and law, emphasizing a holistic, relationship-focused approach to justice and healing. Consultation with Indigenous stakeholders and experts will guide the redesign and content development, ensuring the site is culturally relevant and respectful.

Question 9. Type of positive measure: Other

Answer: Not applicable

Question 10. When negotiating agreements with the provincial and territorial governments, including funding agreements, in areas of activity that may contribute to enhancing the vitality of official language minority communities, fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society, the protection and promotion of French or learning in the minority language, the federal institution had a mechanism in place to promote the inclusion of provisions on official languages in those agreements

Answer: always

Justice Canada employs standardized funding agreement templates as a basis of negotiation. These recognize the needs of OLMCs, reinforcing the government’s broader commitment to official languages and equitable access to justice.

Question 11. The institution has identified stakeholders from official language minority communities, from organizations working to protect the French language, and from organizations that promote the learning of English and French in Canada, who are relevant to the institution’s mandate or the implementation of its programs

Answer: yes

Justice Canada remains committed to identifying and engaging stakeholders from OLMCs affected by its programs. Over the years, Justice Canada has developed relations with several organizations of the Justice sector working with OLMCs, such as:

• Fédération des associations des juristes d’expressions française de common law
• Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario
• Association des juristes d’expression française de la Saskatchewan
• Association des juristes d’expression française de la Nouvelle-Écosse
• McGill University
• Quebec Community Groups Network

Support Fund

The Official Languages Directorate, in collaboration with the Programs Branch, regularly seeks stakeholders from OLMCs that could become beneficiaries of the Support Fund and thereby contribute to achieving its objectives. These searches include consulting counterparts from other federal departments and federal government proactive disclosure data, for example. This approach allows Justice Canada to identify organizations endorsed by other federal departments and that have been successful in obtaining funding.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

Through the CFJF, the Department of Justice provides non-governmental organizations with detailed information to support their participation.

Additionally, provincial and territorial (PT) governments play a key role, given their deep-rooted connections with local institutions and communities. Strengthening collaboration with PTs has further enhanced the integration of official language minority perspectives into program delivery. By fostering these relationships, the Department of Justice ensures that federal, provincial, and territorial efforts are aligned to address linguistic minority needs effectively. This approach reinforces inclusive decision-making and strengthens the ability of Justice Canada to appreciate the unique challenges faced by linguistic minority groups across Canada.

Question 12. The institution’s programs and services enabled it to contribute to the advancement towards equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society

Answer: yes

JPIP

The following describes six projects, among others, that promote the equality of status and use of English and French in Canadian society through the justice system.

• Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal
  • Positive measure: Family Care Legal Clinic
  • Impact: Increasing access to justice for Indigenous families and promoting family reunification through the Family Care Legal Clinic. The clinic offers independent legal advice and support services to their clients and provides Public Legal Education and Information workshops to Indigenous women and families.
  • Success factors: The clinic primarily serves English-speaking Indigenous women and families. The unhoused population of Montreal includes a high proportion of Inuit, whose second language is often English and who often speak little or no French.
  • Results: The language barrier can make it more difficult to interact with government agencies and justice professionals. This measure helps to reduce this language barrier.
• Desta Black Youth Network
  • Positive measure: A Social Justice Approach to Reintegration. Expanding their existing "Re-Entry’’ Program supporting the re-integration of incarcerated English-speaking Black individuals in the community by adding a legal component to assist individuals with their legal needs related to reintegration.
  • Impact: Desta Black Youth Network provides support to incarcerated English Speaking Black Individuals in Québec. The language barrier creates additional challenges while navigating the justice system.
  • Success factors: This project included the facilitation of over 40 workshops at 17 different institutions around Quebec serving over 350 incarcerated individuals.
  • Results: Desta Black Youth Network provides legal support, information, and resources in English, with translation support for interpretation.
• Centre de ressources et crises familiales Beauséjour
  • Positive measure: Improving access and navigation of New Brunswick’s family system. Developing and implementing a family court support worker pilot project for victims of intimate partner violence across Southeast New Brunswick.
  • Impact: This project targets rural residents from official language minority groups who are victims of intimate partner violence that are involved or have had experience in the family justice process.
  • Success factors: The Centre provides family court support for rural Francophone victims of intimate partner violence, helping them access and navigate the legal system. All staff members are bilingual and understand fluently the regional language, and all documents are translated by a local expert who understands the community’s cultural and linguistic needs.
  • Results: This group ensures their programming meets the unique needs of rural francophones victims. All written materials are in both official languages. Additionally, they are creating materials that respect the regional language.
• Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador
  • Positive measure: Pamphlets on how to protect yourself in the event of family violence. To provide bilingual pamphlets and legal clinics for victims of intimate partner violence involved in the family justice system on how to protect oneself from financial abuse.
  • Impact: Given the demographics of Newfoundland and Labrador, many Francophones live in an exogamous couple relationship. In cases of separation due to domestic violence, either partner, Anglophone or Francophone, may experience financial abuse. Creating bilingual documents ensures that victims have access to legal information in their preferred official language.
  • Success factors: Providing information in the preferred official language helps to prevent financial abuse.
  • Results: This project therefore aims to reassure the linguistic minority in this context.
• Association des juristes d’expression française du Manitoba Inc.
  • Positive measure: Legal advice for victims of family violence among Manitoba’s Francophone population
  • Impact: To provide independent legal advice in French to victims of intimate partner violence and to provide support services to help them overcome language and cultural barriers. The project specifically aims to improve the range of French-language services in the area of justice and the law. It helps to standardize the use of French in this sector and to promote the vitality of the Francophone minority community.
  • Success factors: Training and awareness-raising activities in French are organized and offered to justice professionals, victims of intimate partner violence and the public.
  • Results: Education and awareness tools also available in French for a national online audience.
• Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario
  • Positive measure: Legal tools and cultural awareness
  • Impact: The project aims to better equip community stakeholders and justice professionals working with racialized communities.
  • Success factors: The project meets the needs of minority language communities in Ontario by offering services in a legal environment that is welcoming and open to all Francophone litigants without causing additional costs or delays for the justice system.
  • Result: To provide legal education and information to the public and to improve access to justice in French for racialized people in Ontario.

Question 13. Programs and services: Support and assist the development of official language minority communities

Answer: yes

The Support Fund includes projects that provide socio-legal services.

• Positive measure: An example is the project from the Migrant Justice Clinic, “Toolkit for making a request for permanent residency in Canada for humanitarian reasons”. This project aims to support members of an OLMC living in great precariousness in their respective judicial proceedings.
• Impact: The principal impact of this project is an increase in access to justice in both official languages for vulnerable members of an OLMC.
• Success factors: The success factor for this project is the 33 people who have benefited from socio-legal services.
• Results: This main expected outcome of this project is support for vulnerable members of an OLMC and an increase in their integration within this community through access to justice in the official languages of their choice. Through this type of project, the Support Fund contributes to the development of OLMCs.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF has clearly outlined the support and advancement of OLMCs as a priority. This focus is reflected in both the fund’s public documentation and its formal terms and conditions. One of the objectives of the CFJF is to increase linguistic diversity and ensure fair access to justice in family matters for OLMCs throughout Canada. Furthermore, the fund’s formal guidelines include specific provisions designed to assist in the growth and empowerment of these communities. By placing emphasis on the needs of official language minority groups, the CFJF reaffirms its dedication to promoting inclusivity, protecting linguistic rights, and celebrating cultural diversity within the Canadian justice system.

Here is an example:

• Positive measure: A project supporting OLMCs under the CFJF is the Prince Edward Island (PEI) initiative to enhance access to family justice in French. This project includes expanding interpretation services beyond bilingual staff to ensure language accessibility at all stages of family justice engagement. While interpretation services are available during court proceedings, this initiative ensures interpretation support outside of court, such as when speaking with a Deputy Registrar, attending family mediation, or consulting with a family law lawyer. The project specifically includes interpretation services in French. By doing so, it ensures that linguistic minorities, including OLMCs, can fully engage with the justice system.
• Impact: The initiative has a broad impact, as it not only removes language barriers but also identifies systemic obstacles faced by underserved populations, including those who do not qualify for legal aid but cannot afford private legal representation. This makes the justice system more equitable and accessible.
• Success factors: The project’s success is supported by several key factors, including the integration of research findings from the Family Justice Research Sub-Committee, engagement with diverse and Indigenous communities, the expansion of administrative recalculation services to simplify child support matters, and efforts to streamline family law procedures to support self-represented litigants. Additionally, the introduction of specialized programming, such as the New Ways for Families program, provides critical support for families in high-conflict situations, helping them disengage from the court system and resolve disputes more constructively.
• Results: As a result, the project is expected to improve access to justice for OLMCs and other linguistic minorities by expanding interpretation services, reducing the number of child support cases requiring court intervention through enhanced recalculation options, creating more efficient family law procedures, and offering increased support for families in conflict. These outcomes align with the CFJF’s commitment promoting linguistic diversity, protecting language rights, and ensuring fair and inclusive access to justice for all communities in PEI.

Question 14. Programs and services: Foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society

Answer: yes

Support Fund

The Support Fund assists with projects for the translation of judgements of national interest rendered by provincial and territorial appellate and superior courts.

• Positive measure: Translation of judgements by the Centre de traduction et de terminologie juridique. The objective of this project is to make important judgements available across Canada in both official languages, both to benefit the work of justice system professionals and to help litigants better access justice in the official language of their choice.
• Impact: The principal impact of this project is an increase of legal knowledge in both official languages that benefits access to justice in both official languages.
• Success factors: The success factor is the number of judgements translated annually. For 2024 to 2025, the Support Fund had the goal of supporting the translation of roughly 125 judgements.
• Results: In translating judgements so that they are available in both official languages, this project promotes the full recognition and use of French and English in Canadian society.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF plays a key role in supporting the full recognition and use of both English and French within Canadian society by supporting access to family justice in individuals’ preferred official language. Through various initiatives and programs, the CFJF supports the availability of legal information, resources, and services in both English and French, enabling individuals to interact with the justice system in their language of choice. By promoting access to justice in both official languages, the CFJF helps advance the broader goal of linguistic equality and cultural diversity in Canada. This commitment not only upholds Canadians’ linguistic rights but also strengthens the nation’s unity by fostering inclusivity and respect for linguistic diversity.

Question 15. Programs and Services: Protect and promote the French language in every province and territory of Canada

Answer: yes

Support Fund

The Support Fund assists with projects that raise awareness among francophone minority populations about their rights to access to justice in both official languages.

• Positive measure: The project of the Auberge francophone d’accueil et des services aux immigrants named, “Information juridique à la communauté ethno-francophone”. One of the objectives of this project is to make new immigrants in the Francophone community of the Greater Toronto Area aware of their right to access justice in the official language of their choice via workshops during which plain language legal information is offered.
• Impact: By informing immigrants of their rights to access to justice in both official languages, this project promotes the use of French in a judicial and minority context.
• Success factors: The performance indicators for this project are the number of workshops offered and the number of participants
• Results: In 2024 to 2025, the project provided nine workshops to approximately 25 people per workshop.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF plays a role in advancing the French language by emphasizing bilingualism and supporting access for French-speaking Canadians to justice services and resources. Through its initiatives, the CFJF strives to make legal information, support, and services available in French, thereby protecting the linguistic rights of French-speaking individuals. By supporting the provision of legal assistance and resources in French, the CFJF strengthens the presence of the French language within the Canadian justice system.

Question 16. Programs and Services: Advance opportunities for members of English and French linguistic minority communities to pursue quality learning in their own language

Answer: yes

Support Fund

Among the projects supported by the Support Fund, we find projects that provide possibilities for OLMC to pursue quality learning in their own language.

• Positive measure: The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law has a project entitled, “Common law en bref”. This project includes the publication of roughly 20 volumes presenting the fundamental areas of Canadian Common Law in French in a simple and concise manner.
• Impact: The main objective of this project is to make legal knowledge accessible in plain language to members of francophone minority communities in Canada. This allows francophone OLMCs to increase their legal knowledge.
• Success factors: The success factor for this project is the number of volumes drafted (four). The four volumes will be published and circulated in francophone minority communities in Canada.
• Results: For 2024 to 2025, this project began the drafting of the first volumes of this series, which includes revision and validation of texts to be published. A distribution plan is also in development to ensure the circulation of published volumes.

The Canadian Family Justice Fund (CFJF)

The CFJF fosters opportunities for members of English and French linguistic minority communities to access legal information in both official languages. By supporting initiatives that deliver legal information, resources, and services in both English and French, the CFJF supports individuals from linguistic minority communities to engage in learning opportunities in their preferred language. This empowers French-speaking and English-speaking minorities to better navigate the family justice system in their official language of choice.

Here is an example:

• Positive measure: The Quebec project “Personalized interventions for families”, aimed to train professionals to better support OLMCs by enhancing their understanding of legislative changes, such as the Divorce Act, and improving their ability to assist diverse populations.
• Impact: A key component was to equip professionals with better command of English to better serve minority-language clients.
• Success factors: Four team members underwent English language training to enhance service delivery. The project adapted its services based on community’s needs, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness.
• Results: As a result, the organization successfully developed new services tailored to the evolving needs of families living in OLMCs.

Question 17. Programs and Services

Answer: Not applicable

Question 18. In developing a disposal strategy for a surplus federal real property or a federal immovable, the institution consulted the official language minority communities and other stakeholders to take into account the needs and priorities of the English or French linguistic minority communities of the province or territory where the federal real property or federal building in question is located

Answer: Not applicable

Question 19. Give us one or two examples of best practices implemented by your institution as part of fulfilling its commitments under Part VII of the OLA

1. Justice in Official Languages Newsletter: The Justice in Official Languages team annually distributes an electronic newsletter to 596 subscribers (individuals, OLMC non-profit organizations, federal institutions, etc.), covering topics related to access to justice in both official languages. The latest Newsletter, published on Official Languages Day (September 2024), includes various articles, examples of projects funded by Justice Canada, snapshots presenting coordinators responsible for the implementation of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act, as well as noteworthy events.
2. The British Columbia Regional Office promotes OLMC events to employees within the region, both to emphasize Canada’s bilingual character within a unilingual region, and to foster an appreciation for francophone culture and history amongst the public service. Examples include Célébrations de la francophonie, le Festival d’été francophone de Vancouver, le Festival du bois, Rendez-vous French Film Festival, etc.
3. Creation of several Part VII tools, widely distributed within the department, the government and with external stakeholders, to facilitate the implementation of the modernized Official Languages Act by Justice.
4. Survey of the Advisory Committee on Access to Justice in Both Official Languages asking members to identify the top three issues related to access to justice in both official languages in their province or territory, or at the national level, according to the organization surveyed. The answers guide the department in establishing the next steps and objectives for the implementation of Part VII.
5. Information session to the members of the Advisory Committee on Access to Justice in Both Official Languages providing data on the performance of the Support Fund on Access to Justice in Both Official Languages for the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year.