Francophones
Observatory
Health and Services
Collaborative Research
Forces-sante
Science capsule
Visualization of long-term care supply and demand in Ontario
Regional overview using the Power BI platform (Microsoft, 2025 – beta version).
Key findings
- Access to French-language long-term care varies greatly across regions.
- Champlain and the Northeast are better served, while Mississauga–Halton has significant gaps.
- The designation of homes and the presence of French-speaking staff alone are not sufficient to ensure equitable access.
- Competition with the general population, bed prioritization rules (Act of 2022), and the concentration of demand in a limited number of designated homes restrict actual access for Francophones.
In the spotlight
Events
Webinar Coming Soon
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
Organised by SSF and FORCES-Santé
February 25, 2026 (in French)
Webinaire
Les données pour la recherche et la planification des services de santé
With the participation of:
Normand Glaude, RSSFE
Joel Lafond, Shared Health, Manitoba
Patrick Timony, Laurentian University
Patrick Duong, FORCES-Santé
Organised by FORCES-Santé
December 3, 2025
Congrès de l’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
Active offer of services in Canada’s official languages: development of a patient experience questionnaire.
K. Sauvé-Schenk et al. (2026)
This article describes the development and initial validation stages of a questionnaire designed to measure patients’ experiences of how language was taken into account during an outpatient consultation.
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
Accès aux services de santé et sociaux pour les communautés francophones en situation minoritaire du Canada : la co-construction d’une norme…
F. Larocque et L. Bouchard (2025)
Analysis of a little-known voluntary standard aimed at ensuring access to health services in French, its integration into the multi-level regulation of the Canadian health care system, its potential to strengthen active offer of French-language services, and its limitations due to its non-mandatory nature.
Article
Apprentissage de l’offre active des services sociaux et de santé en français par module de simulation interprofessionnelle…
I.Giroux, et al. (2025)
Training in active offer in French is essential for equitable care for Francophone minorities. An interprofessional simulation module has proven effective and well received by trainees, with real potential to reduce language barriers in healthcare.
Article
Impact de la crise de la COVID-19 sur les familles francophones dans les Prairies canadiennes
A.Leis et al. (2025)
The pandemic has had a significant negative impact on Francophone families in the Prairies, especially those with limited English proficiency or limited ties to their community, highlighting the increased need for French-language resources and support.
Article
Le programme de télésanté de prévention des chutes Marche vers le Futur : développement et retombées d’une communauté de pratique…
J. O’Neil, et al. (2025)
The MVF telehealth programme improves access to fall prevention for Francophone older adult. The creation of a community of practice has strengthened knowledge sharing, and partnerships with the potential for improving health equity.
Article
From policy to practice: A qualitative study on reforms and frontline retention in healthcare
A.Dubé et al. (2025)
The results show that administrative burden and top-down imposed reforms undermine the quality of care and professionals’ satisfaction, whereas effective reforms are based on collaboration, co-creation, and adaptation to the needs of communities.
Article
Reporting on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of pharmacists regarding the active offer of French language health services in Ontario…
P.E.Timony, et al. (2025)
The study shows that, despite favourable attitudes towards actively offering pharmaceutical services in French, Ontario pharmacists lack knowledge and practice in this area, highlighting the need for training to improve access to and quality of services in French.
Article
Reach, adoption and implementation strategies of a telehealth falls prevention program: Perspectives from Francophone communities across Canada
J. O’Neil, et al. (2025)
A telehealth fall prevention program, designed for Francophone minority communities, improves access to services in French through tailored mobilisation, local training and organisational support strategies, promoting successful implementation despite certain technological and organisational challenges.
Article
Experiences in long-term care homes and language issues in Ontario: Perspectives…
S. van Kemenade et al. (2025)
Designated and Francophone homes, which represent only 4.7% of long-term care homes in Ontario, provide more services in French thanks to a predominantly bilingual staff and a supportive organizational culture, but have difficulties sustaining this provision over time due to the challenges in recruitment of bilingual staff.
Article
Rethinking the way we measure access to language concordant health services for minority language populations
P.E. Timony et al. (2025)
With a probability of 11.4% compared to 100% for Anglophones, Francophones in Ontario have access to physicians who provide services in their language that is 8.8 times lower, highlighting the limitations of traditional ratios and the value of a more equitable analytical approach.
Article
Patient-physician language concordance and cardiovascular outcomes among patients with hypertension
M. Reaume et al. (2025)
Allophone patients with hypertension who consulted a physician speaking their language had a 36% lower risk of major cardiovascular events than those treated in another language—highlighting the crucial importance of language concordance.
Article
Linguistic factors and COVID-19 outcomes among in long-term care residents in Ontario
M. Reaume et al. (2025)
Residents of long-term care homes with COVID-19 living in linguistically non-concordant facilities had a higher risk of emergency department visits (RR 1.12) and hospitalizations (RR 1.15), with no difference in mortality—highlighting the importance of linguistically appropriate care.
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.
Report
Study of aging populations and access to French-language long-term care in Ontario
C. Belanger, et al. (2024)
The availability of long-term care services in French is uneven across Ontario: regions such as Champlain and the Northeast are better served, while Mississauga–Halton faces significant gaps, and the presence of designated facilities or Francophone staff alone does not guarantee equitable access.
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.