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As Canada marks the beginning of Mois de la Francophonie, the Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, met on March 5, 2026 in Winnipeg with Manitoba community and economic leaders in the offices of the Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba (CDEM) for a roundtable on Francophone and bilingual immigration in Manitoba. The roundtable was composed of the following organisations: Accueil Francophone, Réseau d’immigration francophone Manitoba, Plurie-elles, SFM, World Trade Center, AMBM, DSFM and USB.
The discussion highlighted the important role Francophone immigration plays in supporting Manitoba’s economy, addressing labour needs, and strengthening the vitality of Francophone minority communities across the province.
Participants also discussed how Francophone economic immigration can help Manitoba employers fill critical workforce gaps while supporting the growth of vibrant French-speaking communities.
Minister Metlege Diab welcomed the opportunity to hear directly from partners and reaffirmed the Government of Canada’s commitment to attracting and retaining more French-speaking newcomers, while working with communities to ensure immigration continues to support strong local economies and thriving Francophone communities.
For the fourth year in a row, Canada has exceeded its target for French-speaking permanent residents outside Quebec, reaching approximately 8.9% of admissions in 2025. Canada remains on track to reach its objective of 12% by 2029.
Throughout the Month of La Francophonie, Minister Metlege Diab looks forward to continuing conversations with partners and communities across Canada on the important role immigration plays in supporting the vitality and growth of Francophone communities:
“Our government has ambitious targets to increase the French-speaking population outside of Quebec. In order to do that, constructive dialogue with advocacy groups and stakeholders, as well as our provincial and territorial partners, is essential for us to achieve outcomes that work best for communities. I applaud CDEM’s insights and commitment towards French economic immigration and employment programs in the territories of the bilingual municipalities where most OLMCs are located.”
“Francophone economic immigration is essential to meeting Manitoba’s growing needs. Through targeted recruitment missions, strong international partnerships, and tailored support for municipalities and employers, we are attracting truly qualified, bilingual workers who are motivated to settle here for the long term. This approach is made possible thanks to close collaboration with the federal government.” Madeleine Arbez, Executive Director of CDEM.
