France - Alberta Relations

This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not necessarily reflect the position of the Government of Alberta on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction.

PROFILE DID YOU KNOW? TRADE AND INVESTMENT Capital: Paris • French was the first European • From 2009 to 2013, Alberta’s language spoken in Alberta. exports to France averaged CAD$84 Population: 64.3 million (2013 est.) million per year, consisting mainly France is a member of the G7 and Language: French • of machinery, horse meat, and one of the five permanent members woodpulp. Government: Republic of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). • Alberta’s direct imports from France Head of State: President François averaged CAD$263.6 million per Hollande (elected in May 2012) • In 2011, France hosted the G8 year between 2009 and 2013. Top Summit in Deauville and the G20 Head of Government: Prime Minister imports included precision Summit in Cannes. Manuel Valls (appointed in April 2014) instruments, alcoholic beverages, RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW and machinery. This figure does Currency: Euro, CAD$1.00 = €0.63, not include goods sold in Alberta €1.00 = CAD$1.55 (March 2014) that have arrived via distribution • In 2008, former Premier Ralph Klein hubs in other provinces. GDP: US$2.7 trillion (2013) received France's highest decoration, the Legion of Honour, GDP (PPP): US$2.4 trillion (2013 est.) • Canadian investment in France in for his work in fostering ties 2012 was valued at CAD$4.6 billion GDP per Capita (PPP): US$37,556 between Alberta and France. and French Foreign Direct (2013 est.) Investment (FDI) in Canada was • In September 2005, Alberta hosted nd $14.8 billion (2012). GDP Growth Rate: 0.1% (2008-2012 the 22 meeting of the America avg.) region of the Assemblée • France is the European Union's (EU) parlementaire de la Francophonie leading agricultural exporter, Inflation: 1.9% (2008-2012 avg.) (APF), during which Premier Klein accounting for about 17% of all Unemployment: 10.4% (2013 est.) and Speaker Kenneth Kowalski agricultural land within the EU-27 received medals of the Ordre de la market. Key Industry Sectors: machinery, la Pléiade, a prestigious honour chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, conferred on individuals who have EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES aircraft, electronics, textiles, food contributed to the promotion of the • A few aerospace and defence firms processing, tourism. French language and culture in their are operating in, partnering with, respective jurisdictions. interested in and/or supplying to • In June 2012, Edmonton hosted the Alberta, including SAFRAN’s 17th Ministerial Conference on the MORPHO, Airbus, Eurocopter, Canadian Francophonie. Dassault Aviation, Thales and the European Space Agency.

April 2014 | Input provided by Alberta Ministries of: Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Energy, Innovation and Advanced Education, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, Jobs, Skills, Labour and Training.

Alberta's Merchandise Exports Alberta's Merchandise Exports to France to France 2004 -2013 (2009 -2013 Yearly Average CAD$84 Million) 120 Other $91.35 100 29% Machinery 37% 80 Whiskies 60 3% 40 $CAD Millions Optical and 20 Medical 0 Instruments 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 6% Woodpulp Horse Meat 8% 17%

• In June 2013, 11 Alberta • France is the world's largest nuclear approximately 146,355 students were organizations were featured in the power generator on a per capita basis and enrolled in French as a second Paris Air Show with 7 representatives has 58 nuclear power plants producing language across Alberta. on site. 75% of the country’s electricity. Due to very low generation costs, France is the • There are approximately 214 schools • Signed agreements between the world’s largest net electricity exporter. across Alberta (in 47 jurisdictions, National Research Council and Airbus French president Hollande, however, has including 4 private schools) that and Eurocopter; and the recent EU committed to reducing the nuclear share report offering French Immersion FP7 Coordinated Support Action Plan in power generation to 50% by 2025. program. School districts determine are generating discussions for the subjects to be taught in French in international cooperation in aerospace • France-based Total E&P has an oil sands addition to English Language Arts as research and technological research centre in Calgary which focuses per the Alberta curriculum. development with Canadian/Alberta on environmental performance, owns a organizations. 50% interest in the Surmont oil sands • The Lycée Louis Pasteur school in project (with phase 2 production Calgary inaugurated a million dollar • With one of the largest medical anticipated for 2015), and has a 50% renovation to its facilities in April technology markets in Europe, France operating interest in the Northern Lights 2010 and now offers high school is a priority market for Alberta’s oil sands project, acquired through the programs. The school offers France's health technology companies. purchase of Calgary-based Synenco curriculum and employs teachers who are French nationals. • France offers excellent opportunities Energy Inc., in 2008. in information and communications • Total also has a 38.25% interest in the • Hunting Hills High School (Red Deer) technologies in areas such as Joslyn oil sands project and in December and Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive enterprise solutions, wireless 2011, the company received its Order in High School (Red Deer) have applications and health. Alberta Council from the Government of Canada partnerships with schools in France. companies are active in France, to construct, operate, and reclaim the • To encourage teachers to pursue among them, SMART Technologies project. Total expects production to come further language study, the Alberta and Axia Netmedia which both have online by the end of the decade. This is government has designed two offices in France. Total’s first mining project. Total also awards: obtained government approval and signed • Alberta company Micralyne and a Final Investment Decision in October The Language Teacher Bursary, France-based Sercel established a o 2013 to acquire a 39.2% stake in the valued at CAD$5,000 each and collaborative partnership in 2013 to Ford Hills Mining Project. given to 10 teachers to attend a pursue advanced sensor fabrication in post-secondary language course Alberta. This partnership will enable • Calgary-based Sterling Resources has at an institution outside Canada. companies from Alberta and abroad onshore oil interests in France, to develop advanced sensors for o The Languages in Teacher particularly in the Paris basin and Education Scholarship, valued at hydrocarbon exploration, pipeline leak Quitaine basin (southwest France). detection and infrastructure CAD$2,500 each and awarded to monitoring. • In previous years, Alberta companies 14 students currently in a teacher preparation program. ENERGY have participated in France’s annual Pollutec Conference. • Edmonton Public Schools is the first • The earliest documented oil sands AGRICULTURE school district in Canada to be mining operation was set up in 1745 approved as an official examination in northeastern France, with refining • In 2013, Alberta agri-food exports to centre for the Diplômes d’études en capabilities added in 1857. France totalled $23.4 million, consisting langue française (DELF)/Diplôme mostly of horse meat ($9 million), • France is the 12th largest consumer approfondi de langue française alcoholic beverages ($4.6 million), pet of oil in the world at 1.74 million (DALF), internationally recognized food ($4.5 million) and oilseed ($3.8 barrels per day (bbl/d) (2012). language proficiency diplomas issued million). by the National Ministry of Education • As the fourth largest gas market in in France. • France is Alberta’s second largest market Europe, France imports over 98% of for horse meat exports. its gas consumption under long-term • The Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) at the contracts and is the third-largest EDUCATION University of Alberta (U of A) is the only institution west of Winnipeg importer of liquefied natural gas in • More than CAD$8.8 million was provided offering complete university degrees the European Union, after Spain and in joint Alberta-Canada funding to support in French. The CSJ offers six the UK (2012). Still, gas accounted French language post-secondary academic undergraduate programs, a for only 14.4% of final energy programs in 2009-2010. consumption, far below the post-degree professional diploma in Organization for Economic • In 2012-2013, 38,245 students were Education, and two Masters Cooperation and Development enrolled in French immersion (an programs. The CSJ also has a (OECD) Europe average of 24.5%. Alternative Language Program) and Canadian Studies Research Institute

French to assist Francophones to and inaugurated its first program in • Alberta’s Francophonie comprises develop useful tools and skills to find September 2013. more than 100 non-profit organizations active in a wide variety and maintain satisfying employment. • The CSJ has one of the most of sectors including arts and culture, These services are now available in comprehensive collections of French education, health, early childhood, Edmonton, Calgary, Grande Prairie, language books in Western Canada. youth, newcomers, economic Canmore and Bonnyville. development, and heritage • Research, collaboration and activities • Since 2006, Alberta Human Services preservation. to support the preservation of French and the Government of Canada have language and culture take place at • A number of Alberta’s francophone co-funded settlement services and the CSJ through the Centre arts and culture groups, including La programs in French to assist French- d'enseignement et de recherche en Chorale St-Jean and Zéphyr dance speaking newcomers integrate into francais, Canadian Studies Institute troup, have been invited to Alberta. and L'Institut pour le patrimoine participate in important festivals and • Between 2009 and 2013, 475 francophone de l'Ouest canadien. tours in France. immigrants from France chose Alberta • CSJ has carried out a number of • In 2009, the French foreign affairs as their destination, 74 per cent were economic immigrants. During this student exchanges with national and minister donated $12,000 to the period, 1,626 temporary foreign international French post-secondary Médiathèque de l’Alliance française de workers from France were issued a institutions as part of its bilingual Calgary, a media library which permit to work in Alberta, and 405 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor provides professional bilingual service students from France were issued a of Education programs. to all, as well as, access to permit to study in the province. contemporary collections in French • The U of A, the University of Calgary and English. and the University of Lethbridge have • The Government of Alberta has various Memorandums of • The Union des Français de l’étranger completed a labour supply study and Understandings and agreements to (UFE) has an active provincial chapter credential comparisons for facilitate research, faculty and located in Calgary. engineering occupations in France in student exchanges with post- order to provide tangible labour secondary institutions in France. • Since 1989, thousands of French- market intelligence and credential speaking Albertans get together in information to employers recruiting • The U of A has various agreements early July for the annual Fête Franco- international workers. A summary with universities in France, including albertaine. report and engineering occupation the Université Catholique de Lille, fact sheets are available on-line at: • There is one weekly French language Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble 1, http://www.albertacanada.com/oppor paper with province-wide circulation, and the Institut National tunity/employers/engineering- Le Franco, which was founded in Polytechnique de Lorraine. occupations.aspx. 1928. • MacEwan University has an exchange RECENT VISITS agreement with Lille Catholic • There are two French language University. community radio stations in Alberta, • October 2012: Official visit of France’s Ambassador to Canada, His COMMUNITY CKRP established in 1996 and CHPL established in 2011. Excellency Philippe Zeller. • With over 81,000 Francophones • December 2011: The Minister of residing in the province, Alberta has • CBC/Radio-Canada offers Albertans International and Intergovernmental the largest minority French – two French radio channels: Ici Radio- Relations led a mission to Paris for speaking population in Canada after Canada Première, focusing on current business and intergovernmental Ontario and New Brunswick. affairs, and Ici Musique. meetings. • Over 238,000 Albertans are able to • Le Conseil de développement • October 2010: Alberta’s Minister express themselves in French. économique de l’Alberta (CDÉA), which is a non-profit organization responsible for the Francophone • Approximately one out of eight or dedicated to engaging Francophones Secretariat attended the Sommet de 390,895 Albertans are of French or in the Albertan economy, has offices la Francophonie in Montreux, French-Canadian ancestry. in Edmonton, Calgary, Grande Prairie Switzerland. and Bonnyville. CDÉA is collaborating • May 2010: Alberta’s Minister of • The Honourable Heather Klimchuk, with Travel Alberta to attract tourists Environment met with EU officials in Minister of Culture, is responsible for from French-speaking countries. the Francophone Secretariat. Strasbourg to discuss Alberta’s IMMIGRATION environmental management practices • The French Department of Foreign and how the province is transitioning Affairs supports a wide variety of • Between 2003-2011, Alberta to a cleaner energy future. cultural programs and institutions in participated in an annual immigration Alberta including the Alliance event called Destination Canada in DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION Française of Calgary and Edmonton, France and Belgium. In 2011, the • His Excellency Philippe Zeller is the the Calgary International Film event showcased 345 + jobs from 12 French Ambassador to Canada. Festival, the Banff-Calgary different Alberta employers. International Writers Festival, the • Mr. Lawrence Cannon is the Canadian • Since 2011, the CDÉA has worked Banff Centre and the High Ambassador to France. closely with Alberta employers Performance Rodeo. interested in recruiting skilled • Mr. Jean Christophe Fleury is the • Albertans have access to over labour from French-speaking Consul General of France in 750,000 resources in French through countries. Vancouver with jurisdiction for municipal, community and university Alberta. • Since 2002, Alberta Human Services library networks and services. and the Government of Canada have • Canada has Honorary Consulates in co-funded services and programs in Lille, Lyons, Nice and Toulouse.

For more information, contact: Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations Phone: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699 albertacanada.com