The winning strategies are part of a project aimed at organizations working in healthcare, social and community services. The winning strategies are a set of six simple, effective and easy-to-implement ways to improve access to French-language services. This project is primarily for Ontario non-designated organizations.

The winning strategies are recommendations; they are not mandatory. However, they can really help your organization develop practices to improve the safety, efficiency, effectiveness and equity of the services offered to your French-speaking clients.

To learn more about each strategy, visit the Winning strategies section.

The project is aimed at Ontario organizations in the health, social and community services sectors, whether or not they already offer services in French. The winning strategies can really help an organization improve access to French-language services for their clients.

All stakeholders within an organization can play a role in implementing the winning strategies: healthcare professionals, managers and board members. 

To find out how different stakeholders can apply each of these strategies, visit the Winning strategies section.

A designated organization provides public services under the French Language Services Act  (FLSA). A designated organization is subject to the French-language service requirements set out in the FLSA and the active offer regulation.

Organizations that provide direct services to the public and are subsidized by public funds may apply for official designation under the FLSA .

Active offer refers to French-language services that are clearly advertised, visible and easily accessible at all times. These measures must be implemented by organizations designated under the French Language Services Act. 

Thus, designated organizations are responsible for ensuring an active offer from the very first contact with clients, and without them needing to request it. Active offer includes nine measures prescribed by Ontario Regulation 544/22 .

• People seeking information or services must be greeted in English and French, whether in person, on the telephone or virtually.
• Automated telephone systems must give customers the option, from the outset of the call, of receiving services in English or French.
• Recorded voice messages intended for the public must be in English and French.
• A sign in French must be posted at the entrance to inform the public that services are available in French.
• Signs identifying an organization’s offices or services must present information in both English and French, with equal prominence given to each language.
• Documents intended for the public and offered in English must also be offered in French and using the same format (print, electronic, etc.).
• The English version of all documents must include a message in French to indicate that it is also available in French.
• Web content (websites, social media) containing information about services must be available in both French and English.
• A process must be put in place to ensure that anyone requesting service in French will continue to be served in French at every stage, without having to request service in French again.

The Ontario Ministry of Francophone Affairs has produced a video explaining the nine active offer measures .

The winning strategies are recommendations. They are not mandatory.  

• They include six simple, effective and easy-to-implement ways to improve access to French-language services.
• Winning strategies can help non-designated organizations improve access to French-language services. 
• The strategies are also a starting point for organizations considering a French-language services designation .

Active offer stems from the French Language Services Act .

• Active offer applies to designated organizations and third parties offering public services funded by Ontario. 
• It’s a set of services available in French and offered proactively, without the need for beneficiaries to ask for them. 
• Active offer includes nine measures prescribed by Ontario Regulation 544/22 .

Winning Strategies provide you with free resources, coaching and tools to help your organization improve access to French-language services or prepare for a designation application. By eliminating language barriers for your clients and patients, you can improve the safety and efficiency of care and services.

For example, you can use winning strategies to:

• Assess your organization’s capacity to offer services in French by identifying team members with French language skills.
• Identify your French-speaking clients and match them with professionals who have French language skills.
• Develop partnerships with other providers to ensure quality French-language services for Francophones.

To find out more, visit our Winning strategies section. For free support and coaching, contact a member of our team.

There are no direct costs to participate in this project and implement winning strategies within your organization. 

• We provide free training, coaching, resources and tools.
• The costs incurred are those linked to your staff’s time.

• Free individual coaching sessions: You can contact a team member, ask questions and request individual coaching sessions by writing to skiobola@rssfe.on.ca
• Training for champions: We provide training for champions to help them understand their role and ensure the successful implementation of the winning strategies within their organization. See upcoming training dates.
• Information sessions: The Winning Strategies team regularly organizes information sessions for organizations wishing to learn more about the project. Check out the dates of upcoming information sessions.

This project is a regional initiative involving nine Ontario Health Teams:

• Kids Come First
• Archipel
• Great River
• Ottawa West Four Rivers
• Ottawa Valley
• Frontenac, Lennox et Addington
• Lanark, Leeds & Grenville
• Hastings Prince Edward
• Ottawa

A small team is dedicated to the management of the project. See Our team.

The project is supported by the Réseau des services de santé en français de l’Est de l’Ontario  and funded by the Société Santé en français  and Health Canada .

No, but they can help you meet some of your obligations! The French Language Services Act and designation provide the legal framework for French-language services in Ontario. All existing contractual obligations with your funders regarding French-language services remain in effect.

The winning strategies provide a set of essential actions for identifying, matching or referring your French-speaking clients, but they do not meet all the requirements of the designation. 

However, the winning strategies are a starting point for any organization wishing to improve the quality of its services to Francophones. They can help you complete your Quality Improvement Plan (QIP), your Equity, Inclusion, Diversity and Anti-Racism Plan, and your Annual Report on French Language Services required by Health Ontario. For more information, consult the French Language Services Act .

The implementation of the winning strategies is voluntary. However, the strategies have been specially developed to support organizations that offer little or no French-language services and are located in a territory designated under the French Language Services Act .

When I’m sick, I’m not bilingual. This expression reflects the vulnerability of a person who needs care, but receives it or has to express themselves in a language other than their mother tongue.

In a linguistic minority, Francophones are often reluctant to request services in French for fear that this will affect the quality of their care, wait time or accessibility to all treatment options. The winning strategies enable organizations that don’t offer French-language services to identify their employees who have French-language skills, and to identify Francophones who are more comfortable receiving their services in French, and to facilitate their matching or referral to an organization that can serve them in French.

The winning strategies promote partnerships between organizations offering services in French and those offering services in English only, to improve accessibility to French-language services.

This component is not included in the Winning Strategies project; however, educational institutions and community organizations offer training for learning or perfecting French. Here are a few resources:

• French language courses for adults offered by Alliance Française
• French courses designed for current or future professionals in the healthcare field who wish to acquire speaking and listening skills and use French more confidently in work-related settings. Offered by the McGill School of Continuing Studies
• Healthcare professionals working for a designated organization, or in the process of being designated, who want to improve their communication skills in French can apply to the French language training reimbursement program .