Did you know that Toronto is home to over 75,000 Francophones, according to the 2021 Census? If, like me, you live in Toronto, you surely know that finding services in French is not easy. And yet there are a number of organizations, with passionate and competent people who are there to support the French-speaking community in many areas. I have the pleasure of being in contact with most of them, and I can assure you that the teams are all highly professional and dedicated to helping the French-speaking community in Toronto. Whether you’re looking for support to settle into your new city, study in French, find a job, or simply enjoy cultural activities in French, this list will help you.
You’ll find the list organized by category to make your search easier.
Before you go any further, don’t forget to find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Youtube.
Employment
Discover organizations that can help you find a job, improve your resume, or connect with employers in French.
Centre francophone du Grand Toronto
In Toronto, we have the Centre Francophone, which offers a multitude of free services to Francophones. You can find legal aid, employment assistance, family support and integration services for newcomers. The Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto also offers medical services, although waiting lists for these are extremely long. I wouldn’t count on that to be the only way to find a doctor. You have several offices between downtown and the suburbs of Toronto.
Impact ON
Until September 2023, Impact ON was known as the Conseil de Coopération de l’Ontario. The organization has been serving the Francophone community for 60 years. It has 5 offices across Ontario, including its head office in downtown Toronto. Impact ON supports entrepreneurs with a social mission. If you’re launching a project with a social, cooperative or community vocation, this is the organization that will have the resources to help you. They have several programs to suit your situation, such as pre-incubation programs, programs for women or for the LGBTQ+ community.
Société Économique de l’Ontario
It was the first organization I turned to when I arrived in Toronto in 2014. I was looking for services in French to help me rebuild my resume. The Société Économique de l’Ontario has been around for over 20 years and has several offices in Ontario, including one in downtown Toronto. They provide support in several areas: job search for newcomers, entrepreneurship and job search. They have occasional workshops or programs you can join.
Education & Training
For those who want to study or train in French in Toronto.
Collège Boréal
Le Collège Boréal was founded in 1995 in Subdury, Northern Ontario. Today there are over 37 locations across Ontario. Collège Boréal is active on two main pillars: education with post-secondary programs, and community development with services for francophones. You can take an academic course, but you can also go there for events, to meet people or to take advantage of employment services. In Toronto, we’re lucky enough to have them in the Distillery District, one of my favorite neighborhoods.
Université de l’Ontario Français
Another option if you want to study in French is the University of French Ontario, Toronto’s only French-language university. Right in the heart of the city, in a brand-new building, you can take courses in French, but you can also take part in the events they offer all year round. I go there regularly and they often have very interesting topics open to the public. A few months ago I attended an exchange between 3 Radio-Canada journalists and the public on the trust we have in the media. It was really interesting.
La Cité
On the same premises as the University of French Ontario, you’ll find La Cité. It’s the largest French-language college of applied arts and technology in Ontario. The main campus is in Ottawa, but there’s an office in Toronto where you can take courses. I had the opportunity to meet some of the team and learn more. Not only can you take courses in a traditional route, but you can also take evening classes or equivalency courses for your diplomas if you come from abroad. Definitely something to explore!
Art & Culture
Discover places to celebrate Francophone culture in Toronto.
Le Labo
I wish more French speakers knew about Le Labo! The team is great and so committed to its mission. But let me tell you more. Le Labo is Toronto’s francophone media arts center, which has been supporting Toronto’s francophone artistic community since 2006. The goal is to create a space where artists can come together and find support. You’ll be able to connect with people in your field, who can share their experiences and help you with your projects. Le Labo offers a range of services and, above all, is there to encourage French speakers to create in French. You can check out their calendar of events, or get in touch if you’re an artist looking for a community.
Le Théâtre français
Le Théâtre Français de Toronto has a special place in my heart. I’ve been working with them for years. A passionate team committed to offering French-language programming to bring Francophones and Francophiles together around the arts. Since its creation in 1967, the Théâtre Français de Toronto has produced over 260 shows, which you can see in their office on College and Yonge or in their theater in the Distillery district.
Alliance Française de Toronto
The Alliance Française is probably the oldest organization on this list. It was founded in 1883 – yes, you read that right – in Paris by Louis Pasteur, Ferdinand de Lesseps and Jules Verne. Its mission is to promote French culture throughout the world. The Alliance Française has been offering French-language services in Toronto since 1902, and is best known for its French courses, but it also offers plenty of other cultural options! When I lived in the area, I used to go to the Thursday night cinema to see films in French. But you’ve also got exhibitions, concerts and theatre.
La Société d’histoire de Toronto
If you follow me on Instagram you’re most likely familiar with the Toronto Historical Society. I’ve organized several tours with them over the past two years. Their mission is to highlight the French presence in the Toronto area. You can attend their lectures, tours, workshops and more. The volunteers do an incredible job of bringing history to the forefront, so that Francophones in Ontario can learn more about their history.
Community & Social Support
Services offering support, community engagement, and resources in French.
Oasis, centre des femmes
We continue our discovery of our French-language services in Toronto with the Oasis women’s center. This organization offers support for people who identify themselves as women affected by violence in all its forms. Their aim is to help people regain their confidence. To encourage them in a new direction and support them in their projects. I’ve been lucky enough to work with them on several occasions, and they also offer workshops to support women’s entrepreneurship..
Franco Queer
Another French-speaking organization that can help you in Toronto: Franco Queer. Since 2006, FrancoQueer has been the francophone association of 2SLGBTQIA+ (2Spirit or Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, biromantic, bisexual, trans, questioning, queer, intersex, aromantic, asexual, agender, non-binary and more) people and their allies in Ontario. Franco Queer’s mission is to create safe and respectful spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. They are very active and provide essential support to the community. They have programs to help newcomers in their job search, for entrepreneurs and they also have francophone cafés to practice French. That’s how I discovered them in 2018!
La Maison
It’s taken years to get to this point. Years that Francophone women in Ontario had been clamoring for a service like this. La Maison opened its doors in 2013 and offers a safe space for women dealing with domestic and family violence. Their goal is to support women in need to help them regain their autonomy. You can call on them or recommend them if you need emergency housing. They offer several programs to help women gain skills and confidence.
I hope this article helps you find the French services you need in Toronto. If you’re ever looking for more address recommendations, I have an article with my best addresses in Toronto available here.
Living in Toronto and accessing services in French is possible! Many organizations are here to support the Francophone community, whether you’re a newcomer, long-time resident, or simply interested in French language and culture.
If you know of other French-language services in Toronto, feel free to share them in the comments so we can keep this list up to date!
