French-Language Education in Ontario

Who is entitled to French-language education in Ontario? (“Rights holders”)

Children whose parents are French-language rights holders are automatically admitted to a French-language school if they submit an application.

Who are rights holders?

Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms addresses the right to instruction in English or in French of a minority population.

A rights holder is a parent or guardian who lives in Ontario, is a Canadian citizen and meets at least one of the following criteria:

• His/her native language is French, that is, the first language learned and still understood; or
• He or she has received his or her education at the elementary level in a French-language education institution in Canada ; or
• He or she is the parent (guardian) of a child who has received or receives his/her education at the elementary or secondary level in a French-language education institution in Canada.

If I am not a rights-holder, can I enroll my child in a French-language school?

Individuals who do not meet the above criteria may still submit an application for admission to a French-language school. The application is reviewed by the admission committee at the local school board.

Policy Statement on the Admission, Welcoming and Support

The francophone population in Ontario is constantly changing, both demographically and culturally. For this reason, new guidelines were established for the French-language school boards. Since January 2010, the school boards have adopted a more consistent internal policy regarding the admission of children whose parents do not have rights holder status.

Learn more on the Policy statement on admission, welcoming and support.

It is possible to read the document “Open Doors to New Students” in the following languages:

 · English    · Français    · عربي‎    · Kreyòl    · Lingala    · Kiswahili    · Español    · Tiếng Việt

How to enroll my child in a French-language school

To enroll your child in a French-language school, contact the French-language school or the French-language school board of your choice or the one closest to you.

To identify the French-language school that best meets your needs, please consult the school information finder. Alternatively, you can use the French-language schools search tool available on the French-language education in Ontario website.