When we launched the Circonflexe Mentorship Program back in November 2024, we set out to create a space where English-speaking Quebecers could strengthen their French in a supportive, professional context. What we didn’t yet know was just how far that vision would go.

In Québec, French isn’t just a language—it’s a gateway to employment. For English-speaking Quebecers, building French-language skills is essential to improving access to jobs, advancing in their careers, and participating fully in the province’s economy.

The data is clear: in 2016, the unemployment rate for English speakers in Québec was around 7%. By 2021, that rate had climbed to nearly 11%—four percentage points higher than for Francophones. If the unemployment rates were the same, that would mean 28,000 more English-speaking workers contributing to Québec’s economy.

Circonflexe is designed to close that gap. 

In just five months, Circonflexe has grown into a province-wide initiative driving real change. That momentum was on full display on March 21, 2025, during a networking event in downtown Montréal. Hosted in a sunlit venue in the Quartier des Spectacles, the event, one of 15 held across Québec, buzzed with conversation and connection. Participants shared coffee, swapped career stories, and reflected on their experiences navigating Québec’s job market. The energy in the room captured the essence of Circonflexe: inclusive, optimistic, and rooted in the belief that language should be a bridge—not a barrier. 

Building Meaningful Connections

Today, Circonflexe brings together more than 160 participants from across Québec, representing sectors as diverse as technology, the arts, public service, and more.  From Montréal to Chicoutimi to the Gaspé coast, we’ve witnessed incredible moments of connection. At the heart of the program, mentors and mentees form relationships grounded in mutual learning and growth. Through one-on-one sessions, participants build their French-language skills while gaining professional insight, confidence, and lasting connections. 

Circonflexe also features 14 partner organizations who have delivered 15 dynamic networking events throughout the province, bringing together hundreds of English and French speakers to engage with one another in la langue de Céline. These events have also helped spark new relationships, strengthened community ties, and fostered a shared commitment to building bridges between Québec’s linguistic communities.

Looking Ahead

This journey would not have been possible without the financial support of the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI). We are thankful for their continued trust and support, which have been instrumental in bringing this initiative to life.

However, the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise (SRQEA) has also played a crucial role in the genesis of Circonflexe. Their investments in PERT enabled us to conduct French-language learning research and develop the necessary expertise and credibility to secure and deliver the Circonflexe program. We also want to thank our partners, our mentors, our mentees, and our supporters, the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM), Concordia University, Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR), and many more. Each of your contributions has been essential to the growth and success of Circonflexe. All of you are contributing to creating a more inclusive and united Québec, one conversation at a time.

The early results have been promising :

• More than 160 participants are active across 15 regions
• More than 100 fully French-language sessions have been held to date
• 15 networking events hosted in 10 different regions
• Our mentors represent 17 unique industries

And this is only the beginning. We look forward to the launch of our second cohort in September. Registration for Cohort 2 opens this July.