Dieppe says New Brunswick’s language laws leave cities without the tools they need.
The city made that case during a presentation to the Standing Committee on Official Languages on Tuesday.
Mayor Helene Boudreau said the city wants stronger amendments during the most recent review of the Official Languages Act.
“Like many others, the City of Dieppe would have liked to see more changes to the Act during its most recent review,” Boudreau said in the release.
She also pointed to 2021 census data, saying it shows the demographic weight of francophones is declining in Dieppe and across the country.
The city said supporting the francophone community is a priority in its strategic plan and is reflected in local initiatives that promote the use of both official languages.
It explained that Dieppe once had the power to require bilingual commercial signage under the former Municipalities Act, but that authority was not carried over when the Local Governance Act replaced it in 2017.
The city said that the change left municipalities without a tool they previously used to support the visibility of French in public spaces.
Dieppe presented three recommendations to the committee.
It wants the province to amend the Official Languages Act to allow municipalities to adopt bylaws requiring bilingual commercial signage.
It also wants those bylaws to be mandatory in communities where at least 20 per cent of residents belong to the official‑language minority.
A third recommendation calls for a permanent financial support program to help municipalities meet their language obligations.
Emilie Hache, the city’s director of immigration and lead on francophone affairs, said the recommendations would restore a power municipalities once had and provide structured support for local language efforts.
“These recommendations could strengthen the role that local governments can play in supporting the francophone landscape and ensure respect for official languages in Canada’s only officially bilingual province,” Hache said in the release.
