March 14, 2024, Sudbury – The University of Sudbury and the University of Ottawa, along with the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario, announce the implementation of a memorandum of understanding to offer, starting in September 2025, programming that is not available in the region and to meet the needs of the Northeastern Ontario labour market.
“The University of Sudbury is taking an important step by announcing this partnership, which will serve to meet the aspirations of Francophones and Francophiles through university programs that are in high demand in the job market,” said Serge Miville, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sudbury. “The protocol will also result in the optimization of the resources and expertise of both institutions to offer unique programming in Northeastern Ontario and maximize the impact of investments for the benefit of students. This is an innovative approach that serves as a model for achieving economies of scale and increasing the viability of the sector throughout French Ontario.”
“For over 175 years, the University of Ottawa’s footprint has extended across Ontario and its Francophonie. In order to meet the needs and aspirations of young Franco-Ontarians, we continue to expand our educational offerings to support their contributions to the growth and vitality of our communities,” said Jacques Frémont, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ottawa. “In the spirit of collaboration between Francophone institutions advocated by the Expert Panel on Ensuring the Long-Term Financial Sustainability of the Postsecondary Education Sector and Promoting Student Success, we welcome this opportunity to work with the University of Sudbury in Mid-Northern Ontario to address the labour market priorities of this region, which is a driving force for Ontario’s Francophonie.”
“This protocol is promising and the AFO believes that it is a tool that will contribute to the modernization of French-language university programming in the Greater Sudbury region. We encourage our institutions to move forward with partnerships of this type in order to make French-language programs as accessible as possible throughout the province. This way, our youth and Francophones and Francophiles in continuing education will be able to aspire to postsecondary studies in French close to home. We hope that governments will be there when institutions are ready to submit this project to them,” said AFO Executive Director Peter Hominuk.
The institutions will soon confirm the programs that will be covered by the agreement. This step is crucial in the University of Sudbury's journey to re-establish its compliance under its designation under the French Language Services Act.
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About the University of Sudbury
Established in 1913, the University of Sudbury was the first institution in Northern Ontario to offer university-level education. In 1975, the very first raising of the Franco-Ontarian flag in the province took place there. The institution received its designation under the French Language Services Act in January 2020.
The University of Sudbury acknowledges that it is located on the territory designated in the Robinson-Huron Treaty and that the lands on which it is established are part of the traditional lands of Atikameksheng Anishinaabeg and the Wahnapitae First Nation.
About the University of Ottawa
Established in 1848, the University of Ottawa offers an exceptional learning experience to its entire student body and its research efforts continue to intensify in leading fields. The University of Ottawa is firmly committed to promoting and protecting the interests of the Franco-Ontarian community. This commitment is an integral part of the law that made the University a public institution in 1965. In September 2015, the institution obtained the designation of its services and programs of study in French, under the French Language Services Act. Located in the heart of the country's capital, it is the largest bilingual (French-English) university in the world.
About the Assembly of the Francophonie of Ontario
The Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario (AFO) is the unifying organization and political voice of Ontario's Francophonie. Its mandate is to bring together the province's Francophone community and acts as a spokesperson, among other things, to claim the rights of 795,760 Franco-Ontarians.
For more information:
Université de Sudbury
Elise Leblanc
705-673-5661
Université d’Ottawa
Isabelle Mailloux-Pulkinghorn
613-240-0275
Assemblée de la francophonie de l’Ontario
Grace Selenga, chargée de communications et relations publiques
613-878-3026
