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Forces-sante
Francophones
Observatory
Health and Services
Collaborative Research

Science capsule

Long-Term Care and Services for Francophone Seniors in Ontario

Key findings:
  • Access to French-language services remains inequitable despite increasing recognition of linguistic needs.
  • A lack of bilingual resources weakens the active offer of services in French.
  • Language barriers impede communication, contribute to social isolation, and place additional burdens on caregivers.
  • Practical strategies are identified to enhance the delivery of French-language care and services.

In the spotlight

Events

Colloquium To come
Joint CNFS-ACUFC Symposium on the Health of OLMCs

With the anticipated renewal of the Action Plan for Official Languages in 2028, the context is particularly conducive to dialogue and reflection on OLMCs and health. This symposium provides an opportunity to convene to take stock of the progress achieved, share the knowledge acquired, and collectively consider future directions.

October 20 and 21, 2026

Webinar
Defining and Measuring Minority Francophone Communities…

What linguistic variables are included in large-scale health surveys? How can they be used to study small populations? How does the choice of a linguistic variable influence the results?

See the presentations given during this FORCES-Santé webinar

April 2,  2026 (In French)

Webinar
Accès aux services de santé et sociaux en français : la co-construction d’une norme

With the participation of:
Lise Richard, SSF
Patricia Wade, HSO/Accreditation Canada
François Larocque, University of Ottawa

Watch the recording of this webinar organised by SSF and FORCES-Santé

February 25, 2026 (in French)

ACFAS
Colloque 109 – Santé, langue et culture

A space for discussion and dissemination of research on the integration of linguistic and cultural dimensions into the organization of health and social services.

UQTR, May 13, 2026 (in French)

    Publications

    Article
    Differences in experiences with episodic virtual care based on language of comfort for healthcare services in New Brunswick

    F. Gallant et al. (2026)

    Although the quantitative data reveal few differences based on preferred language of care, respondents’ comments underscore persistent linguistic inequities and challenges related to the implementation of health technologies that adequately meet users’ needs

    Article
    Official Language Minority Communities in Ontario: (In)visibility of Nursing Care

    M. Muray et al. (2026)

    The study highlights a paradox of (in)visibility: French-speaking patients and professionals often compensate for systemic gaps, yet must also make themselves visible to advocate for equitable care, underscoring the need for a more coherent implementation of French-language health services.

    Article
    Services de soutien en santé mentale : comment mieux répondre aux besoins des jeunes des milieux postsecondaires francophones en situation minoritaire

    D. de Moissac et al. (2026)

    Students’ mental health remains a concern, with high levels of psychological distress. Although services are widely used, access to French‑language, diversified, and stigma‑free resources remains essential to adequately meet their needs.

    Report
    Breaking Down Language Barriers in Health Care…

    Standing Senate Committee… (2026)

    This report on health services in the minority language summarizes the testimony heard and written submissions received between April 2023 and November 2024. It presents 14 recommendations for the federal government.

    Article
    Health Data for Linguistic Minority Group Research in Canada: Proof-of-Concept Centralized Health Care Metadata Repository…

    V. Martin-Schreiber et al. (2026)

    This study demonstrates the feasibility of establishing a national health metadata repository, an essential infrastructure for better leveraging Canadian administrative data and strengthening research on linguistic issues in health. about what data are available at which data holdings across Canada.

    Article
    Insight into Post-Pandemic Needs in Healthcare and Well-Being Among Francophone Families in the Canadian Prairies

    C. Keough et al. (2026)

    This study on post-pandemic health and well-being needs among 319 Francophone families in three provinces revealed three common high-priority needs : (1) access to recreational, sports, and arts activities in French for children; (2) access to Francophone health care professionals; and (3) social activities in French for families.

    Article
    Active offer of services in Canada’s official languages: development of a patient experience questionnaire.

    K. Sauvé-Schenk et al. (2026)

    This study led to the development and validation of the first bilingual questionnaire designed to measure patients’ experiences with the active offer of services in both official languages, providing a new tool for assessing the linguistic quality of outpatient care.

    Thematic issue
    Going the distance: a cross-sectional geospatial analysis… access to French-language primary care provided by family physicians in Ontario, Canada.

    C. Belanger et al. (2026)

    This cross-sectional geospatial study demonstrates a new way to measure primary care access using average travel time to the nearest five English- and French-speaking family physicians. It also introduce the concept of primary care access fragility, where a region’s primary care accessmay depend on one or a few local family physicians.

    Report
    Home Care Experiences and Language Challenges in Ontario: Perspectives… 

    S. van Kemenade et al. (2026)

    The language discordance between care providers and service users increases the burden on family caregivers, who must coordinate care and services and act as interpreters, which can take away from their respite time. In some cases, language barriers can lead to service users withdrawing their requests for services. 

    Article
    Prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being and roles of family/friend caregivers of older adults…

    J. Savard et al. (2026)

    The study highlights a persistent increase in care provided by families or friends during and after the pandemic, with negative impacts on the health of caregivers, in addition to access challenge in minority language communities.

    Article
    La téléconsultation : un levier pour rehausser l’accès aux services de santé en français pour les communautés francophones…

    M. Dorion et al. (2025) 

    This article offers a critical perspective on the use of telemedicine, discussing its advantages and limitations, as well as the opportunities it presents for improving French-language health services for Francophone communities, based on data collected from Francophone patients and healthcare providers in Ontario.

    Article
    L’effet de la pandémie sur l’état de santé mentale et la consommation des personnes étudiantes fréquentant un établissement postsecondaire…

    N. R. Gueye et al. (2025)

    This article examines the impact of the pandemic on mental health, coping strategies, and substance use among students enrolled in a French-language postsecondary program in a linguistic minority context in Manitoba, by comparing data from surveys conducted in November 2018 and November 2020.

    Article
    Experiences and Perspectives of Caregivers of Francophone Older Adults Accessing Community Health Services…

    E. K. Boyd et al. (2025)

    From interviews with caregivers of patients who had undergone geriatric assessment at the Centre Francophone du Grand Toronto (CFGT), this study reveals that a significant gap remains in French-language services for older adults in the GTA, leading to increased challenges for their caregivers.

    Report
    Étude sur les professions de la santé dans les milieux francophones minoritaires au Canada.Rapport préparé pour RDÉE Canada.

    PHAR, collaboration SSF (2025)  

    This report, commissioned by the Economic Development and Employability Network of Canada (EDEN/RDÉE Canada) and realised in collaboration with the Société Santé en français (SSF), provides an overview of the healthcare workforce in Francophone and Acadian minority communities (CFSM).

    Thematic issue
    Health in Canada’s Francophone Minority Context: Twenty Years of Research

    L. Bouchard et J. Savard (dir.) (2024)

    16 articles, 54 authors, and themes ranging from laws and regulations to user experiences, including health status, service offerings, and the availability of bilingual human resources.

      Data showcase

      Browse and discover maps and charts on the Francophone population and French-language health services.

      Library

      Consult our reference database on health and services in official language minority communities. 

      Let's bring science and communities together to improve equity, access, and quality of care in French in all minority situations across Canada.


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