The designation is the Ontario government's legal recognition of an organization's ability to provide services in French according to Ontario standards, and the existence and sustainability of services. Designated agencies are required to provide services in French on the same basis as ministries.
A designation under the French Language Services Act is recognition that an agency has met the government’s 34 requirements and designation criteria in providing French language services (FLS) to its French-speaking clients and has demonstrated its ability to continue to do so.
Before the government will designate an organization, the organization must:
- offer quality services in French on a permanent basis, which is ensured by employees with the required French language skills;
- guarantee access to French-language services which can be provided for all or some services and during business hours
- Ensure that effective representation of Francophones sit of the board of directors and its committee are included in the administrative by-laws and must reflect the proportion of the francophone population within the community served
- have an effective representation of Francophones among its senior management team
- ensure that the board of directors and senior management are accountable for the quality of French-language services
Source: Designation of Public Service Agencies
For more information on designated HSP, read the section Roles and Responsabilities of Designtated Health Service Providers.
Designation Plan under the French Language Services Act [English][French]
