JASON SETNYK
The Communauté Francophone Accueillante (CFA) project was officially launched in Cornwall on June 23, 2025, with over 85 attendees gathered at 146b Avenue Chevrier. Hosted by the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario (ACFO SDG) and funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the launch event unveiled a three-year Community Action Plan aimed at better supporting French-speaking newcomers.
“The Cornwall CFA is more than just a project: it is a promise of welcome, goodwill, and social cohesion,” said ACFO SDG Executive Director Céline Baillargeon-Tardif.
Gabrielle Dignard, assistant to the CFA Coordinator, explained, “Cornwall was named one of 24 welcoming Francophone communities in Canada… to help new arrivals integrate into their new environments here in Canada.”
Senator Bernadette Clement, Mayor Justin Towndale, and MPP Nolan Quinn also spoke, while newcomer Christelle Nkola shared her story of support through La Friperie du Sourire. The event concluded with a networking session.
