Sudbury officials ready with slate of activities ahead of Franco-Ontarian Day

Preparations underway for Franco-Ontarian Day Wednesday is a big day for many in northeastern Ontario as the region gets set to celebrate Franco-Ontarian Day. Preparations are underway.

Organizers are busy getting ready for an entire slate of activities this week in Greater Sudbury, to promote the French culture, but no one may be more excited than L’Association Canadienne Francaise de L'Ontario du Grand-Sudbury.

The group, which has worked tirelessly promoting the French culture within the city, is getting set to mark 49 years since the flag first flew at Université de Sudbury.

“This year’s celebrations for Franco-Ontarian Day are like usual,” said the organization’s executive director Joanne Gervais.

“We have the flag raising at 10:30 in front of Université de Sudbury … and in the evening we have banquet where we’re inviting the community come and celebrate with us. At this banquet we also hand out an annual price, la prix de la Francophonie, to a deserving member of the community.”

Gervais told CTV News they are treating this year like a launch for next year, given 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary.

“Well like all celebrations, it’s about permitting the community ahere or to celebrate with members of their own community. In our daily lives, especially a community like ours that’s in the minority, we often get lost in the shuffle of the majority,” she said.

“Celebrations, taking the time to celebrate, taking the time to either have a flag raising, have a dinner, have a show, a French presentation, whatever it might be, allows us to see that we have a place in the community. It allows us to celebrate our contributions and allows us to celebrate what we represent to the whole of the community,” she said.

“Franco-Ontarian Day is a day to celebrate for all community members and we welcome everyone to come celebrate with us and I want to wish everyone a 'Happy Franco-Ontarian Day,'” added Gervais.

Events have also been planned with both French school boards in town, Conseil scolaire du Grand Nord and Conseil Scolaire Catholique Nouvelon, and Collège Boréal.