Francophonie in Alberta

Francophone Community Profile

While Alberta's official language is English, Albertans would be surprised to know that French was the first European language spoken in Alberta. This is due to the fact that many of the first settlers to the province were of French Canadian origin. These origins are still visible today and according to the 2001 Census, 332,675 Albertans, or more than 1 in 10, are of French descent.

Today, approximately one Canadian in four, and approximately 65,990 Albertans are Francophone. Alberta's Francophones, or Franco Albertans, are spread out throughout the Province. The highest concentration of Franco-Albertans can be found in the two metropolitan regions of Edmonton and Calgary, and many communities in northern Alberta, particularly in the Peace Country and St. Paul regions, are still predominantly French speaking. Three municipalities are officially bilingual, Beaumont (15 km southeast of Edmonton), Legal (35 km north of Edmonton) and Falher (420 km northwest of Edmonton).

While many Franco-Albertans were born in Alberta (39.5%), the majority were born elsewhere in Canada (53.8%) or emigrated from another country (6.8%). The Francophonie in Alberta has roots all over Canada, and across the world, which greatly contributes to the diversity and vitality of the Francophone community. This diversity has helped Alberta's Francophone community to maintain and further develop close ties with Francophone communities from far and near.

French is also the most common second language for many Canadians, in large part because it is so widely used and accessible throughout the country. This is true also in Alberta, where the number of bilingual residents is rising steadily. According to the 2001 Census, the Province ranked fifth in terms of bilingual population: 202,905 Albertans were bilingual compared to 178,505 in 1996, an increase of 14%. Whether in French as a Second Language (FSL), Immersion or Francophone programs, the overall number of students enrolled in French language programs (currently numbering over 25% of Alberta's student population), is likely to increase with the implementation of Alberta's new Second Language Initiative.

Francophones and Francophiles come together to celebrate French culture in schools, community centres, parishes, and many special events. And in many communities, Francophones are able to go about their daily lives obtaining services in French, whether at the post office, at the drug store, at the doctor, etc. Francophones have a strong sense of identity and are proud of their culture: they are Franco-Albertans and are committed to contributing not only to their Francophone community, but to Alberta's overall social, cultural and economic fabric.

To learn more on Alberta's Francophones, click here.  If you are unfamiliar with some of the terms, please refer to our glossary.