CLIC: A springboard into Northern Francophone communities

The first evaluation of Collège Nordique’s Cours de langue pour les immigrants au Canada (CLIC) program highlights its role in building newcomers’ linguistic confidence and supporting their integration into Northern Francophone communities. And this term marks a new milestone: with its launch in Yukon, the program is now offered across all three territories. 

A program that responds to a Northern reality

Launched at Collège Nordique in September 2025, the CLIC program provides eligible newcomers with free opportunities to develop their French-language skills while discovering the social, cultural and community realities of where they live.

Initially offered in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the program is expanding to Yukon this term. CLIC is now available across all three Canadian territories, fulfilling its pan-territorial vision and giving more newcomers opportunities to develop their French-language skills and build connections with Northern Francophone communities.

While the CLIC program has existed elsewhere in Canada for several decades, its presence in the North is still very recent. Before its launch by Collège Nordique, the three territories were the only Canadian jurisdictions where the CLIC program was not offered.

“Collège Nordique worked very hard to receive authorization to deliver the CLIC program for the very first time north of the 60th parallel. I am very proud to have been able to contribute to its growth in the North. Even in its early stages, it was the right time to take the pulse of participants, understand what is working and identify ways to better respond to their realities from the outset. The goal was not only to evaluate French-language learning, but also to understand how the language can become a tool for building connections and finding one’s place in the community,” explains Patrick Arsenault.

Learning a language, but also becoming part of a community

The evaluation focused specifically on two dimensions of the program: participation in Francophone community life and confidence in using French in everyday life. To explore these areas, semi-structured interviews were conducted with people who had participated in the program for at least three months.

One finding stands out: CLIC does more than create a space for language learning. It also allows participants to develop an initial sense of belonging through a shared experience.

“I think just having a community around, like it doesn't have necessarily to be all my friends, but it's like just being around people who understand and speak and also want to learn the language like has really increased my desire to learn more,” says CD, one of the participants in the evaluation.

This community can also extend beyond the boundaries of a single city. One participant based in Iqaluit highlighted the value of learning alongside people living elsewhere in the North.

“One of my colleagues like or one of my classmates is from Fort Smith. I'm in Iqaluit. So that's also kind of like a community that you're coming into where people are from different places and you're helping each other out,” explains MH.

The program also helps participants discover Francophone activities and organizations in their communities. For some, this awareness opens the door to new relationships and greater participation in French-language community life.

“Learning a language isn’t just about learning vocabulary or grammar. You need to be able to use it in real-life situations and feel confident enough to try. CLIC allows us to support participants in their learning, while also helping them discover the Francophone community around them,” says Leanne.

To better understand the CLIC experience and discover the program through the people who bring it to life, watch our video about the program. See how French-language learning takes shape at Collège Nordique, both in the classroom and in the community.

From the classroom to everyday life

The evaluation nevertheless reveals that knowing French and feeling confident enough to use it in a real-life setting are two different things.

Participating in a community activity where conversations naturally take place in French can be intimidating when someone is still learning the language. Some participants described a form of linguistic insecurity, particularly when they felt that others assumed they were already fluent.

One of the needs identified was therefore support in making that first connection with the community.

“So I would appreciate the CLIC program in getting me into those networks, into those rooms and so that then I can go on to build like further relationships with that community by myself. But yeah, like getting in, like getting putting my foot in the door, basically, yeah,” explains AZ.

Once that first connection is established, however, the experience can quickly change. Participants explained that when community members knew they were learning French, they could adapt their interactions, encourage them and give them more opportunities to practise.

“But after going to all these events, I was actually impressed because everybody was pretty much friendly and accommodating. I was like, oh, I could have done this by myself I guess that fear just touched me in the beginning,” says CD.

Overall, participants indicated that the program had improved their confidence and French-language skills while helping them become more familiar with the Francophone community.

“The CLIC program has been fantastic in helping my confidence in speaking,” summarizes AZ.

Turning findings into action

Because the program is still new, this first evaluation also aimed to quickly identify opportunities for improvement.

Four main areas for action emerged from the findings:

• Raise awareness of the different networks and subcommunities where newcomers can meet Francophones;
• Create more connections with people who can act as bridges to the community;
• Organize networking opportunities that facilitate initial connections;
• And incorporate more experiential learning, discussions and real-life scenarios inspired by everyday situations.

Participants themselves suggested simple, practical situations: cooking, taking the bus, going to the library, or preparing to interact in French in different everyday contexts.

These findings are a reminder that language learning does not stop at the classroom door. Opportunities to speak spontaneously, meet other people and participate in community life are also an important part of the learning journey.

Growing Northern Francophone communities, one conversation at a time

In a Francophone minority context, linguistic and community integration are closely connected. The CLIC program aims to give newcomers the tools they need to use French more often in their daily lives and participate fully in their communities.

This first evaluation does not seek to draw definitive conclusions about a program that is still in its early stages. Conducted with a small number of participants, it instead provides qualitative findings that help identify what is already working and opportunities to continue adapting the program to Northern realities.

“These initial results are encouraging, but most importantly, they give us very concrete directions for what comes next. Our role as a Francophone institution in the North goes beyond teaching a language. We want to help create communities where newcomers can build connections, participate and feel fully included in the Francophone community,” concludes Patrick Arsenault.

As CLIC continues to grow, these initial findings provide a valuable foundation for what comes next: creating not only opportunities to learn French, but also spaces where newcomers can live the language, build connections and find their place within Northern Francophone communities.

Published on September 23, 2026