The French-speaking 2SLGBTQIA+ organization in Ontario

FrancoQueer’s Programs, Services, and Projects

FrancoQueer Immigrant Hub

The FrancoQueer Immigrant Hub brings together settlement services for Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers. These services include needs assessments and referrals, individual information and orientation appointments, information workshops, discussion and support groups, outings and local visits, transportation assistance, and short-term counselling. The FrancoQueer Immigrant Hub aims to facilitate the settlement process and the social, economic, and cultural integration of Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers.

Volunteer Program

The Volunteer Program aims to develop inclusive and resilient community leadership within 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and their allies. To achieve this, it offers training and awareness-raising, opportunities to leverage expertise and develop skills, mentorship and peer-learning opportunities, recognition and networking activities, as well as opportunities for personal and professional development and community integration.

Bilingual Café

The Bilingual Café is a sociocultural discovery and conversation group where 2SLGBTQIA+ people who speak French or wish to practice it can meet, discover their local Francophone environment and culture, and connect with others who share these interests in a Francophone, inclusive, and welcoming environment. At each meeting, participants discover a new place and/or a new work of art, explore a new topic of discussion, and make new connections.

Community Celebration and Connection Activities

These large-scale activities aim to support celebration and self-affirmation, the development of 2SLGBTQIA+ pride in French, and the strengthening of a sense of belonging. They include the annual FrancoFierté activities in various cities across Ontario, the Toronto summer community picnic, the FrancoQueer Gala, and more!

Franco-Ontarian Network for 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion

The Franco-Ontarian Network for 2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusion offers a range of training and professional development services for organizations and institutions in various sectors across Ontario. Its goal is to support them in adopting and implementing more equitable and inclusive policies, procedures, and practices for French-speaking individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

Inclusive Partners Program

The Inclusive Partners Program is designed for Francophone organizations that serve 2SLGBTQIA+ newcomers. It offers training and promotional activities on inclusive practices to raise awareness among these organizations about the realities of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, facilitate access to services for this newly arrived Francophone population, and reduce systemic barriers to their integration.

Youth Program

The Youth Program offers training, awareness, assessment, empowerment, and consultation services to support preschool, school, extracurricular/after-school, and post-secondary settings in making them safer, more inclusive, and affirming of romantic, sexual, and gender diversity. These services are customized to meet the specific needs of the settings and delivered upon request.

Action Research Projects

To deepen our understanding of the specific needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ Francophones in Ontario, FrancoQueer conducts several research projects. This work is essential for documenting the realities, challenges, and lived experiences of these communities. Based on this evidence, FrancoQueer can then develop relevant support and empowerment initiatives for affective, sexual, and gender diversity individuals.

FrancoQueer's History

In April 2005, an intergenerational group of Francophone gay men from Toronto met for the first time to discuss creating a community organization to meet the needs of the city's Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ community. At this initial meeting, their motivations varied: some were looking for a French-language social space, while others wanted to develop services, programs, and awareness-raising activities. However, they were united by a common vision: to give a strong and visible voice to the Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Toronto and eventually across Ontario.

Since its inception, FrancoQueer has been dedicated to mobilizing, supporting, and celebrating Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Ontario. By recognizing the richness and diversity of individual experiences, the organization acts as a solidarity network where everyone can find their place, express themselves freely, and actively contribute to community life.

Agenda of group activities