Feature story
Happy Franco-Ontarian Day! In 2010, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario unanimously adopted the Franco-Ontarian Day Act, proclaiming September 25 as Franco-Ontarian Day. This day officially recognizes the Francophone community’s contributions to the cultural, historical, social, economic, and political landscape of our province.
Today marks the 48th anniversary of the flag, which flew for the first time on September 25, 1975, at Laurentian University in Sudbury. Designed by history professor Gaétan Gervais and political science student Michel Dupuis, the flag was officially recognized as the emblem of the Franco-Ontarian community through the passing of the Franco-Ontarian Emblem Act of 2001.
If you visit a City of Ottawa facility today, you will likely notice a cheerful green and white flag flying proudly. This is the Franco-Ontarian flag, and it flies to celebrate the vitality and spirit of Francophones across our city and province.
Vive la Francophonie!
Franco-Ontarian Day at the City of Ottawa
Each year, the City of Ottawa hosts a flag raising ceremony in celebration of Franco-Ontarian Day. Today’s celebration was hosted by Councillor Stéphanie Plante, on behalf of Mayor Sutcliffe and in collaboration with the Association des communautés francophones d’Ottawa (ACFO Ottawa). It included performances by a grade four class from École élémentaire publique Francojeunesse, Le R Premier, and Héloïse Rosenfeld.
In addition to the Franco-Ontarian flags flying outside several City facilities today from dawn until dusk, the City is proud to fly the flag permanently at City Hall over Marion Dewar Plaza and the Centre d’accueil Champlain Long Term Care Home. New this year, the flag will also fly permanently at the Carré de la Francophonie in Vanier. On Wednesday, September 13, Councillor Plante brought forward a motion to City Council to declare the flagpole at the Carré de la Francophonie in Vanier as the very first official flagpole displaying the Franco-Ontarian flag exclusively and permanently on Montreal Road in the heart of Vanier.
Finally, the City marked Franco-Ontarian Day by illuminating the OTTAWA sign at York Street and Sussex Drive in the ByWard Market in green and white. In addition, the City, in partnership with the Vanier BIA, installed a Franco-Ontarian decorative crosswalk at the intersection of Montreal Road and Marier Avenue in Vanier.
In recognition of the large Franco-Ontarian community in Ottawa, the City is committed to upholding the Bilingualism Policy, which reaffirms staff’s commitment to serve our community in the official language of their choice. For more information on French Language Services at the City of Ottawa, visit ottawa.ca.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.