Program directory · Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
Advancement of Official Languages
- Program code
- BGI01 (OCOL)
- Core responsibility
- Advancement of French and English in Canadian society
- In Departmental Plans
- 2018-19 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
Raise awareness of issues related to the advancement of the equal status of English and French in federal institutions and Canadian society, while supporting the development and vitality of Official Language Minority Communities.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advancement of Official Languages | This program | 2018-19 – 2028-29 | $50.6M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Indicators added: Canadians who have been informed of issues related to the Official Languages Act.; Parliamentary deliberations making reference to the Official Languages Act and/or reports and recommendations made by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.; Percentage of public support for linguistic duality and bilingualism; Recommendations from the annual report and research reports prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages that were implemented. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2019-20 | Indicators dropped: Extent of public recognition for linguistic duality and bilingualism as a fundamental value of Canadian society.. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators added: Number of federal employees who were informed of the federal government’s official languages obligations.; Number of meetings held with representatives of federal government entities.; Number of presentations or workshops on official languages delivered at federal institutions. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
| 2026-27 | Indicators dropped: Recommendations from the annual report and research reports prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages that were implemented. | Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase) |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Canadians who have been informed of issues related to the Official Languages Act.
Expected result: Canadians know their language rights and those of official languages communities and they recognize the importance of linguistic duality and bilingualism.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ≥ 20,000 | 2020 | 467,292 | Met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 350,000 | 2021 | 443,497 | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 350,000 | 2022 | 469,129 | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 350,000 | 2023 | 890,469 | Met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 350,000 | 2024 | 427,858 | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 350,000 | 2025 | 393,329 | Met |
Parliamentary deliberations making reference to the Official Languages Act and/or reports and recommendations made by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Expected result: The Commissioner influences decision-makers in Parliament, government and communities on issues relating to the Official Languages Act.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | — | 2020 | 5 Less parliamentary proceedings this year due to the summer recess, the 2019 federal election, and the COVID-19 pandemic. | No result reported |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 0 | 2021 | 99 | Met |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 15 | 2022 | 69 | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 15 | 2023 | 79 | Met |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 15 | 2024 | 63 | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 15 | 2025 | 38 | Met |
Percentage of public support for linguistic duality and bilingualism
Expected result: Canadians know their language rights and those of official languages communities and they recognize the importance of linguistic duality and bilingualism.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ≥ 73% | 2020 | — Data available in 2021. | No result reported |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 73% | 2021 | — Because of the shift in priorities in 2020-2021, the search for a consultant to conduct the survey could not start until May 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused delays in procurement. The survey will be conducted in 2021-2022 | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 73% | 2022 | 91% Given the change in priorities during 2020-2021 and delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in procurement, the survey scheduled for March 2020 was conducted in 2021-2022. The result obtained (March 2022) was 91%. The next survey result will be available in March 2026. | Met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 73% | 2022 | — The last result dates from 2021–2022. Since this is measured every five years, the next result should be in 2026–2027 or 2027–2028. | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 73% | 2022 | — Not available. The last result measured was in 2021–2022. Because the result is measured every five years, the next result would be in 2026–2027 or 2027–2028. | No result reported |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 73% | 2022 | — Non disponible. Le dernier résultat mesuré date de 2021-2022. Étant donné que le pourcentage est mesuré tous les cinq ans, le prochain résultat sera connu en 2026-2027. | No result reported |
Recommendations from the annual report and research reports prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages that were implemented.
Expected result: The Commissioner influences decision-makers in Parliament, government and communities on issues relating to the Official Languages Act.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | ≥ 60% | 2020 | 100% | Met |
| 2020-21 | ≥ 60% | 2021 | — No follow-up was conducted because of the shift in priorities across the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic | No result reported |
| 2021-22 | ≥ 60% | 2022 | 0% The follow‑up to the recommendations was postponed to 2022–2023 given the changes in the past year, including the pandemic | Not met |
| 2022-23 | ≥ 60% | 2023 | — The follow-up of the annual report recommendations since 2019 has been consolidated and will begin in 2023–2024. | No result reported |
| 2023-24 | ≥ 60% | 2024 | 61.5% | Met |
| 2024-25 | ≥ 60% | 2025 | 85% | Met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Canadians who have been informed of issues related to the Official Languages Act.
Expected result: Canadians know their language rights and those of official languages communities and they recognize the importance of linguistic duality and bilingualism.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 350,000 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Number of federal employees who were informed of the federal government’s official languages obligations.
Expected result: Federal institutions know their official languages obligations.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 3,000 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Number of meetings held with representatives of federal government entities.
Expected result: The Commissioner influences decision-makers in Parliament, government and communities on issues relating to the Official Languages Act.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 300 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Number of presentations or workshops on official languages delivered at federal institutions.
Expected result: Federal institutions know their official languages obligations.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 40 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Parliamentary deliberations making reference to the Official Languages Act and/or reports and recommendations made by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
Expected result: The Commissioner influences decision-makers in Parliament, government and communities on issues relating to the Official Languages Act.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 15 | 2027 | — | Planned |
Percentage of public support for linguistic duality and bilingualism
Expected result: Canadians know their language rights and those of official languages communities and they recognize the importance of linguistic duality and bilingualism.
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ 73% | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | $7M | $7.2M |
| 2019-20 | $7.2M | $6.9M |
| 2020-21 | $7.1M | $6.9M |
| 2021-22 | $7.3M | $7.1M |
| 2022-23 | $7.3M | $6.9M |
| 2023-24 | $7.4M | $7.7M |
| 2024-25 | $8.4M | $7.9M |
| 2025-26 | $8.3M | — |
| 2026-27 | $8.4M | — |
| 2027-28 | $8.4M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $8.4M* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 57 | 56 |
| 2019-20 | 56 | 56 |
| 2020-21 | 56 | 55 |
| 2021-22 | 57 | 54 |
| 2022-23 | 57 | 52 |
| 2023-24 | 57 | 52 |
| 2024-25 | 50 | 55 |
| 2025-26 | 55 | — |
| 2026-27 | 56 | — |
| 2027-28 | 56* | — |
| 2028-29 | 56* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 plan | $7,023,254 | $7,023,254 | $7,023,254 | ||||||||
| 2019-20 plan | $7,154,501 | $7,063,097 | $7,063,097 | ||||||||
| 2020-21 plan | $7,100,925 | $7,098,200 | $7,082,920 | ||||||||
| 2021-22 plan | $7,328,057 | $7,312,777 | $7,355,912 | ||||||||
| 2022-23 plan | $7,329,071 | $7,372,207 | $7,372,207 | ||||||||
| 2023-24 plan | $7,448,281 | $7,448,281 | $7,448,281 | ||||||||
| 2024-25 plan | $8,366,894 | $8,059,855 | $8,069,373 | ||||||||
| 2025-26 plan | $8,277,357 | $8,286,956 | $8,286,956 | ||||||||
| 2026-27 plan | $8,380,514 | $8,380,514 | $8,382,452 | ||||||||
| Actual | $7,199,161 | $6,905,267 | $6,911,473 | $7,080,393 | $6,934,354 | $7,687,040 | $7,902,119 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
