Toronto Francophone Affairs Advisory Committee - November 19, 2025

High-level Summary

The meeting focused on advancing francophone economic development and services, refining governance and planning processes, and expanding supports for small business and immigrant entrepreneurship. Key decisions included approving a new agenda item on planning and annual progress, adopting prior meeting minutes, and launching or approving major francophone-focused programs such as an Export Hub and SLA collaborations; additional motions addressed information-sharing and procedural adjournments.

Five Most Important Topics Discussed

1) Acknowledgment of Indigenous Lands, Hybrid Format, and Accessibility (Francophone Advisory Committee context) - The session opened with formal land acknowledgment and emphasis on inclusive interpretation services in French and English, reflecting ongoing commitment to accessibility. Notable points included recognition of Mississaugas of the Credit and related treaty frameworks, and the bilingual interpretation via Webex. - Direct quotes (examples): - “Nous reconnaissons également que Toronto est régi par les traités 13 signé avec les Mississaugas du Crédit et par les traités Williams signé avec plusieurs bandes Mississaugas et de Chippewa.” - “La langue de travail de ce comité, c’est le français... l’interprétation simultanée est disponible sur Webex.” - Public input: Public could participate in either French or English, with interpretation instructions available on the committee webpage. File/bylaw mentions: reference to treatyland acknowledgement and interpretation framework.

2) Introduction and Adoption of a New Agenda Item (Planning Process & Annual Progress) - A motion to add an agenda item to review the committee’s planning process and to request an annual progress/bilan des avancements was passed unanimously, signaling emphasis on transparency and accountability. - Direct quotes: - “La motion est de demander un point... discussion sur le processus de planification du comité et demande d'un bilan annuel des avancements.” - Public input: Noted as open language access and transparency; no specific public consultation step noted in this item. File/bylaw: none specified beyond the motion language.

3) Export Hub Program and Francophone Economic Development Partnerships - Programs and collaborations were advanced, including the launch/survey-phase plans for an Export Hub (pôle d’exportation) to support Franco-Ontarian entrepreneurs. Workshops are planned to begin in January; a survey phase is underway to tailor resources. - Direct quotes: - “Notre tout dernier programme qui vient d'être lancé... c'est notre pôle d'exportation.” - “Actuellement, on est dans une phase de sondage,” and “il y aura des ateliers aussi qui vont se mettre en place spécifiquement sur l'exportation et le commerce interprovincial.” - File numbers: No specific file numbers tied to the Export Hub item; related references to provincial support and SEO/industry partners were discussed. Public input: entrepreneurship stakeholders are invited to participate in surveys; results expected in ~3 weeks. - Motions: A formal motion titled “Implementation of the Exportation Program for Franco-Ontarian Entrepreneurs” was later listed as passed, with next steps including surveys, workshops, and ongoing collaboration with partners.

4) Collaboration with Francophone Organizations (SEO, FGA, and Others) - The meeting underscored ongoing collaboration to support francophone entrepreneurs and newcomers, including partnerships with SEO and the Fédération des gens d’affaires francophones de l’Ontario (FGA). Emphasis on using collaborative networks to strengthen services in French and to expand opportunities for newcomers and businesses. - Direct quotes: - “Nous sommes prêts à collaborer, offrir nos services, nos ressources qui existent déjà.” (SEO representative) - “La francophonie est une force économique majeure trop souvent sous-estimée.” (Cathy Modesto, SEO) - “On met en place aussi des solutions innovantes comme la plateforme Quartier d’affaires qui est une plateforme de mise en relation B2B.” (Proposition de l’outil par un intervenant FGA) - File numbers: Chapter 19 referenced as governing law for BIAs in related discussions; no file number tied directly to SEO/FGA items in this section. Public input: possible through ongoing collaboration and program participation.

5) Access to City Opportunities, Red Tape, and Language Barriers for Francophone Entrepreneurs - Debates addressed practical barriers to procurement and city services, including language barriers and access to the Vendor of Record list. A key point was the existence of a “red tape hotline” to log barriers and begin addressing them, while acknowledging multilingual information as a potential improvement. - Direct quotes: - “On m'a dit qu'elles ne savent pas comment accéder à la liste des fournisseurs de la ville de Toronto... afin de pouvoir offrir des services.” - Discussion about reducing bureaucratic barriers and whether translations of documents would help. - File/bylaw: Procurement processes discussed in relation to city policy; no specific file number was cited in this excerpt. Public input: hotline is a direct channel for input; future public consultations were suggested in some sections.

Opportunities for Public Input

• Public participation channels include:
  • Participating in interpretation-accessible meetings (French or English).
  • Engaging with the Export Hub Program survey (results expected in ~3 weeks) to influence program design.
  • Potential future public consultations tied to francophone corridor/neighborhood initiatives and procurement accessibility improvements.
• Contact points: The meeting notes reference committee webpages for interpretation access and encourage involvement through ongoing collaboration with francophone organizations (SEO, FGA) and city staff.

Motions, File Numbers, and Outcomes

• Motion: Add a New Agenda Item (Discussion on the Committee's Planning Process and Annual Progress Review)
  • Outcome: Passed unanimously.
  • Next steps: The item will be discussed at the current or a future meeting.
• Motion: Adopt Minutes from July 11, 2023
  • Outcome: Passed unanimously.
  • Next steps: Minutes published in French and English.
• Motion: Motion to Receive Information
  • Outcome: Passed unanimously.
  • Next steps: Documentation logged.
• Motion: Postpone the Last Agenda Item to the Next Meeting
  • Outcome: Passed unanimously.
  • Next steps: Item to be discussed when all members are present.
• Motion: Recognize Absentee Regrets (Elazar)
  • Outcome: Passed unanimously.
  • Next steps: Absentee noted in minutes.
• Motion: Implementation of the Exportation Program for Franco-Ontarian Entrepreneurs
  • Outcome: Passed.
  • Next steps: Conduct surveys, prepare resources, and run January workshops; continue collaboration with partner organizations.
• Motion: Support for the Société Économique de l’Ontario’s Mandate (SEO)
  • Outcome: Passed.
  • Next steps: Ongoing collaboration with SEO.
• Other motions in various excerpts include: “Motion to Receive Information,” “Motion to Postpone,” and similar procedural items, all appearing as passed in the cited sections.

Councillors Present

• Clearly identified councillors:
  • Hélène Grégoire
  • Carlo Charles
  • Mariva Sor
• Note: The transcripts include other participants and staff (e.g., city staff and external organizations). Some names appear as committee members or speakers rather than voting councillors. Based on the provided content, these three appear to be the councillors explicitly identified as participants in the discussions.

If you’d like, I can tighten the topic list to strictly five items with citations to exact quotes and add a clean bullets-only motions section in a separate short appendix.