Infographic: The French Presence in Newfoundland and Labrador
Text version: The French Presence in Newfoundland and Labrador
- 5% of the population (25, 940 people) can speak both English and French – 10.6% increase since 2011!
- French is the mother tongue of 0.5% of the population (2,681 people)
- French is the first official language of 0.5% of the population (2.430 people)
Education
- 10,186 students are enrolled in French Immersion (15.3% of eligible enrolment) (2015-2016)
- 30,103 students are enrolled in Core French (45% of eligible enrolment) (2015-2016)
- There are about 360 students enrolled in 6 French-language public schools in the province (2016-2017)
Where do Francophones live?
Francophones in Newfoundland and Labrador are concentrated in 3 main regions: the Port au Port Peninsula, the St. John’s area and Labrador.
Economic Regions
- Avalon Peninsula (St. John’s) 50%
- West Coast–Northern Peninsula–Labrador (Port au Port Peninsula, Labrador) 39%
- Notre Dame–Central Bonavista Bay 9%
- South Coast–Burin Peninsula 3%
Where were Francophones born?
- In Newfoundland and Labrador: 22%
- Elsewhere in Canada: 58%
- Abroad: 20%
Media
- Newspaper: Le Gaboteur
- Radio: CJRM Rafale FM 97.3 (Labrador City), and Radio-Canada ICI Première and ICI Musique
- Television: ICI Radio-Canada Télé and Unis TV
Celebrate!
March:
- The Jeux d’hiver franco-labradoriens are held annually in Labrador City.
May:
- Provincial Francophonie Day is held yearly on May 30.
August:
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Three annual folk festivals are held on the Port au Port Peninsula: Une Longue Veillée in Cape St. George, Une Journée dans l’Passé in Mainland and Un plaisir du vieux temps in Black Duck Brook.
November:
- The Festival du vent in St. John’s celebrates Francophone culture and music.
History
- The first French fishermen arrived on the coast of Newfoundland in 1504.
- In 1660, a French colony was established at Plaisance (now Placentia).
- From the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century, French and Acadian fishermen settled mainly near the banks of St. George’s Bay and on the southwest part of the island.
- The community spokesgroup, the Fédération des francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador, was formed in 1973.
- The first French-language school was established in Mainland in 1984.
- The Franco-Newfoundlander and Labradorian flag was adopted in 1986 and was raised for the first time in front of the House of Assembly on May 30, 1992.
- In 1997, the Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador was created.
- In 1999, the provincial government declared May 30 to be the Journée de la francophonie terre-neuvienne et labradorienne.
- In 2015, Newfoundland adopted its first French Language Services Policy.
Sources
- Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population
- Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey
- Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada (in French only)
- Profiles of the Francophone and Acadian Communities of Canada
- Canadian Parents for French
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador: Education and Early Childhood Development
- Conseil scolaire francophone provincial de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador (in French only)
- Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage
Date modified:
2020-09-18