Nearly $5 million announced for N.W.T.'s Collge Nordique

Yellowknife's Collge Nordiqueis getting nearly $5 million in funding to help meet the labour requirements of Yellowknife's francophone community, says a joint news release Tuesday.

Of the funds, $4.2 million comes from the federal government's Official Languages Support Programs to be doled out over three years. The N.W.T. government is putting up $680,000 over the same time period.

The project is funded under the CanadaNorthwest Territories agreement on minority-language education and second official-language instruction from 201920 to 202223, the release reads. The funds are meant to go toward creating a strategy for diversity, equity and inclusion. It will also help classrooms tofacilitate virtual teaching.

"The announcement of multi-year funding will enable us to implement projects in our new business plan. This plan was developed with the community and reflects the dreams and goals of the Northwest Territories' French-speaking students," said Patrick Arsenault, the executive director of Collge Nordique.

"This funding demonstrates a serious commitment on the part of the federal government to minority-language post-secondary education, and we are grateful for it."

Collge Nordique is the only French-language post-secondary institutionin the North. It's about to mark its 10th anniversary.

"The funding announced today is very important for the Franco-tnois community," said Ginette Petitpas Taylor, minister of Official Languages, in a statement.

"This targeted regional strategy will help Collge Nordique graduates enter the labour market with the tools they need, having completed their studies in the official language of their choice."