Community of Official Languages/References/FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most popular questions we receive at the Official Languages Centre of Excellence. Don’t see the answer to your question here? Feel free to email us at OLCEInformationCELO@tbs-sct.gc.ca.
Annual Reviews and Oversight
There are two main components to the Annual Review on Official Languages:
1. Excel Questionnaire (Joint TBS-PCH questions, as well as Parts IV, V, VI of the OLA)
• Collects official languages related information with questions on Governance, Monitoring, Communications and Services to the Public, Languages of Work, Equitable Participation, Leadership, and Human Resources Management.
• Excel template for tabulation purposes. Mixture of narrative and drop-down menu style questions.
2. Part VII Questionnaire
• A narrative style questionnaire highlighting key achievements of your institution relating to the implementation of positive measures.
There are approximately 200 institutions that are subject to the Official Languages Act. In order to reduce the reporting burden, TBS adopted a three-year cycle. A majority of institutions must submit a review at least once over a three-year cycle. TBS takes into consideration the size, mandate and level of risk in terms of official languages of the institution. Institutions that are required to complete a Review this year will be contacted to attend an information session prior to the exercise’s launch.
The call letter for the Review on Official Languages is generally sent by the end of March. The call letter is comprised of two distinct elements:
1. A joint email to Deputy Heads from the TBS Chief Human Resources Officer and the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie at PCH, informing them that the exercise has been launched;
2. This first email is immediately followed by a second email to Champions, Persons Responsible for Official Languages and Section 41 Coordinators within your institution. This second email includes the instructions and necessary templates in order to complete the exercise.
Legislative requirement: The Official Languages Act (OLA)
• Under Part VIII of the OLA, the President of the Treasury Board must submit an annual report to Parliament (the Annual Report on Official Languages) on the status of programs relating to the official languages of Canada in the various federal institutions under his/her mandate.
Annual Report on Official Languages (AROL)
• The information submitted in the Reviews on Official Languages is used to draft the AROL for both TBS and Canadian Heritage.
• Should an institution fail to submit a Review within the established timelines, TBS reserves the right to name that institution in the AROL.
• Allows parliamentarians and the Canadian public to examine the state of official languages within the federal public service.
Institutional Diagnostic
• Can help identify areas of strength, and opportunity for improvement.
• Allows TBS to identify common issues, best practices, and offer horizontal support to institutions.
If your institution is part of the Core Public Administration, we extract this data from the Position and Classification Information System (PCIS) as of March 31st.
If your institution is not part of the Core Public Administration, you must complete an Official Languages Information System II (OLIS II) table - Excel format table that auto-populates certain information once your institution name is selected
Official Languages Regulations
- A new and more inclusive calculation method for estimating significant potential demand was adopted. It includes, among others, more people of immigrant background and bilingual families.
- A qualitative criteria that takes into account community vitality was added to determine the language obligations of offices. This provision will ensure bilingual services when a minority language school (elementary and secondary schools) is within an office’s service area.
- The list of key services was expanded to include regional development agencies, the Business Development Bank of Canada, and all services offered through Service Canada centres, including passport services.
- Key services are closer to citizens in general, so more of these services are offered in both official languages. For example, tax services, employment centres, post offices and RCMP detachments.
- Key services are closer to citizens in general, so more of these services are offered in both official languages. For example, tax services, employment centres, post offices and RCMP detachments.
- Airports and train stations subject to the Official Languages Act that are located in provincial or territorial capitals, as well as federal offices within those airports, will be designated bilingual.
- Services offered to the public by means of videoconferencing will be added to the list of services that are automatically bilingual, regardless of demand.
- A rule was added to protect the bilingual designation of certain offices that depend on the proportion of the local official language minority population (5% threshold).
- Greater weight, visibility and importance was given to the requirement to consult official language minority communities on the location of bilingual offices by moving this requirement from the Directive to the Regulations.
- The language of service to the public in embassies and consulates was standardized and simplified by designating as bilingual the offices of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in these locations.
- A rule was added to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the regulations 10 years after the adoption of the amendments and every 10 years thereafter.
- A rule was added to ensure services in the majority language where needed.
- 3 offices were designated unilingual in the minority language while the demand suggested a need for bilingual services. This rule will correct such situations.
- A rule will ensure bilingual services in the post office located in Entry Island, Quebec.
- A provision will improve access to bilingual services in small communities with a large concentration of minority speakers.
- Rules were updated to allow for a single set of provisions for all immigration services and customs services provided by the Canada Border Services Agency at ports of entry into Canada.
- The 1991 Regulations provided for two sets of rules at ports of entry: one for immigration services and one for non-immigration services. These provisions reflected the division of responsibilities that existed at the time the 1991 Regulations were adopted, and is no longer accurate.
