Today, the Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $345,000 to the Government of British Columbia for its project “Equitable Access to Personal Health Information.” This initiative aims to improve access to health services in French for Francophone communities across the province.
The funding supports the Government of British Columbia in enhancing its digital health platforms to capture patients’ preferred official language. By collecting this information, the province can better plan and provide French-language health services, ensuring that Francophone communities receive care in their language. This initiative is part of the broader Official Languages Health Program (OLHP), which promotes equitable access to health services for official language minority communities.
The Government of Canada remains committed to working with partners to improve health care access for all Canadians, including services in the official language of their choice. Ministers Marjorie Michel and Marc Miller emphasized that language should never be a barrier to health care, noting that equitable access is a matter of safety, fairness, and substantive equality for Canada’s two official languages. British Columbia’s Minister of Health, Josie Osborne, highlighted the importance of removing language barriers so that Francophone communities can easily access the support and care they need.
Launched in 2003, the OLHP receives funding through Canada’s Action Plan for Official Languages and supports provincial governments, post-secondary institutions, and non-profits in improving health services for official language minority communities. The 2023–2028 Action Plan increased the program’s funding to a total of $206.7 million over five years, enabling projects that train and retain bilingual health professionals, support health networking initiatives, and implement innovative programs. This initiative aligns with the Government of Canada’s broader investment in public health, including nearly $200 billion over ten years to strengthen the healthcare system nationwide.
