The Association des Francophones de Nanaimo is celebrating the news that Nanaimo has been awarded the title of a “Welcoming Francophone Community” by the federal government.
Under Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Nanaimo has joined the list of 23 other communities across the country with this new title announced this month. Nanaimo is the second community in British Columbia to receive the title following Prince George in 2018.
CHLY spoke with Julie Cloutier, the president, and Camille Veron, the executive director of the association who applied Nanaimo for this title, following the news.
Both Cloutier and Veron who both moved to Nanaimo from French-speaking communities, said that through this initiative the association will be given resources and funding through the IRCC to welcome all French-speaking newcomers to Nanaimo and offer services to help them integrate into the community.
CHLY has more on the story.
