Province signs new agreement with Quebec to support Island Francophone community

The governments of P.E.I. and Quebec signed a new cooperation agreement today that will see an additional investment to the Francophone community on the Island over the next five years.

Both provinces pledged to increase their average annual investmentsfrom$25,000to a minimum of $35,000 in 2017-18, and a minimum of $55,000 in 2021-22.

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P.E.I.PremierWade MacLauchlansaid the addition investment willbe used to fund initiatives in education, immigration, and tourism.

MacLauchlansaid the agreement is part of an initiative to bring more Quebecers to the Island.

"I expect and I hope that we will see increased numbers, and a continuation in the numbers, of Quebec tourists come to Prince Edward Island," said MacLauchlan.

Renewed relationship between Quebec and P.E.I.

"This agreement will send a signal to Quebec, P.EI., Canada, that there is a better place for the French community," said Quebec Minister Jean-Marc Fournier.

"That's one of the advantages of this country. We are a country of diversity, but we must also recognize the diversity of our communities. Linguistic communities," he said.

Fournieralso said he hopes this agreement will bring forward mutual involvement from the two provinces.

"The more we can share in our jurisdiction, the tools that we've developed or the tools that P.E.I. has developed,I think our population will benefit from that," he said.

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