CEDEC welcomes the Government of Canada’s new 2023-2028 Official Languages Action Plan while remaining concerned about continuing references to the Charter of the French Language in Bill C-13, the Government’s proposed renewal of the Official Languages Act. The organization is encouraged by the inclusion of significant new investments in the Plan to protect and promote the vitality of Official Language Minority Communities across the country, including the English-speaking Community of Quebec (ESCQ).  

In reacting to the release of the Action Plan, John Buck, President and CEO of CEDEC, stated: “To a great extent, the future vitality of the ESCQ will be a function of its economic vitality. In this regard, a significant thrust of CEDEC’s recent ten-year plan is a Call to Action to generate meaningful and long-term economic benefits for English speakers and their communities.” 

The President and CEO continued his remarks by emphasizing the importance of leveraging an ecosystem of mutual support and actively collaborating with Quebec’s Francophone majority. “In this way,” said Buck, “CEDEC believes the ESCQ can enhance its contribution to the growth of Quebec’s economy, while addressing the economic and labour market disparities and disadvantages it is experiencing.” 

CEDEC’s ten-year economic development and labour market development strategy specifically calls for: 

• The creation or expansion of 250 businesses and social enterprises.
• The creation or filling of 1,000 jobs.
• Attracting $5M in business and social enterprise investments.
• Reducing by 50% the economic and labour market disparities and disadvantages that exist between the Francophone and English-speaking populations of Quebec, and between Francophones outside of Quebec and the ESCQ. 

“As is always the case, the devil will be in the details of the Plan, its focus, and how it is coordinated,” said Buck, and concluded by saying “CEDEC will work diligently and collaboratively with the Government to leverage the collective assets and social capital of our community to ensure Action Plan investments in economic development and labour market development strengthen and sustain the long-term vitality of the ESCQ.”

CEDEC leverages the innovation and capacity produced by public, private, and civil society collaboration to generate tangible economic results which benefit the English-speaking Community of Quebec.