Timmins city council has approved the Francophone Liaison Committee’s terms of reference.
The liaison committee, which was formed at the beginning of 2020, has been meeting for the past year and a half and decided it was time to bring the terms of reference for council’s approval, Coun. Michelle Boileau said at the meeting.
“As we know, half of the city’s population is bilingual. We have a very important francophone population as well as an important francophone history here in the city of Timmins,” Boileau said.
The terms of reference highlight the origin and goals of the committee and outline its duty, composition and terms of office.
The committee’s goals, according to the document, are to support francophone and bilingual service providers and associations, ensure French service and representation at the municipal level, collaborate with organizations on Francophone-unifying projects and provide recommendations that will benefit the francophone community.
With French school boards, cultural organizations and healthcare centres, the city has an opportunity to attract the French-speaking population which is "crucial" as the community is dealing with a skilled labour shortage and declining population, Boileau said.
“We believe by enhancing the quality of life for French speakers in Timmins, it will only be a positive thing for the community,” she said.