Did you know that uOttawa is home to over 13,000 francophone students and thousands of francophiles? They come from across Canada and abroad, from more than 80 countries across the globe, making our francophone community one of the most diverse in Canada. Around 75% of these students are Canadian, and the other 25% are international students or permanent residents of Canada who are citizens of other countries.
Let’s break these stats down even further. Here is a series of infographics detailing where our francophone students are from. Some students also took the time to answer questions about what French and their backgrounds mean to them and what they like most about the University of Ottawa’s francophone community.
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Where are our Canadian francophone students from?
Three in four francophone students at uOttawa are Canadian, roughly 10,000 students.
Sixty-one percent of our Canadian francophone students hail from Ontario. Forty-six percent are from Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, and another 15% are from Toronto and surrounding areas, Timmins, Sudbury, Hearst, Windsor, Sturgeon Falls, Kingston, London, North Bay and other nearby areas.
Thirty-four percent of our Canadian francophone students come from Quebec. Roughly 20% are from the Gatineau/Outaouais area, and the rest are from Montreal and its off-island suburbs, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Rouyn-Noranda, Trois-Rivières, Granby, Drummondville, Val d’Or and other nearby areas.
Five percent of our Canadian francophone students come from the rest of Canada, representing roughly 500 francophone students. Some of the places they’re from include Fredericton, Moncton, Dieppe and Campbellton, New Brunswick; Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta. Though their numbers may be small, their contribution to our diverse French-speaking community is mighty.
“I’m an Acadian from New Brunswick,” says Josiane Cormier, a second-year psychology student. “Acadians in New Brunswick have always had to fight to keep their language. For me, this has forged our identity, since, as francophones, we’re proud of our mother tongue and wish to do whatever we can to use it regularly. The accents are different from region to region and we can guess a New Brunswicker’s region right away by their accent.
“I appreciate the diversity of the Francophonie,” she says. “I’ve been fortunate to meet francophones from all around the world and it’s interesting to share our cultural histories and our different expressions, to compare how we speak. We can learn a lot and share our very own knowledge regarding our dialects.”
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Where are our non-Canadian francophone students from? The top 20 countries outside of Canada.
Having trouble viewing the infographic? The following table breaks down where non-Canadian francophone students are from. Included here are the top 20 countries, representing 93% of all non-Canadian francophone students at uOttawa.
| COUNTRY | PERCENTAGE | COUNTRY | PERCENTAGE |
| Marocco | 16% | China | 3% |
| Ivory Coast | 11% | Benin | 2% |
| Democratic Republic of Congo |
10% | Algeria | 2% |
| Cameroon | 8% | Tunisia | 2% |
| France | 8% | Guinea | 2% |
| Burundi | 6% | Rwanda | 2% |
| Senegal | 5% | Lebanon | 1% |
| Mali | 4% | Belgium | 1% |
| Haiti | 4% | Djibouti | 1% |
| Burkina Faso | 4% | Togo | 1% |
“Benin’s culture and history make the country unique,” says Mélissa Délalie Houinsou, a third-year health sciences student.
“While Benin is now a state, its history goes back to the era of kings, female warriors and the great historical figures who are its pillars. Traditional Beninese dances and special foods are some of my cultural favourites. They’re in harmony with nature, with the customs. Solidarity and sharing are at the heart of Beninese culture.
“I appreciate the francophone community’s thirst for learning at the University of Ottawa,” she says. “I’ve seen a dedication to promoting French, without neglecting English.”
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Where are our non-Canadian francophone students from, by continent?
Broken down by continent, 79% of our non-Canadian francophone students come from Africa, 10% hail from Europe, 5% are from Asia and another 5% are from Latin America and the Caribbean. We also have a small percentage of non-Canadian francophone students from North and South America.
“I identify as part of the francophone Malagasy community (of Madagascar),” says Miharisoa Ramaromanana, a second-year sociology student.
“French in Madagascar is a legacy of colonization of the country by France. I think that the presence of this language on the island has inspired Malagasies when it comes to certain words in my mother tongue that are very similar to French terms.
“The francophone community at the University of Ottawa is of different origins, which is the beauty of it,” she says. “As well, it’s a very active community that makes its presence felt in an environment that is majority anglophone, after all. I’m very grateful to be part of this diverse, growing community.”