About the project

This project is about strengthening the Government of Yukon’s approach to bilingual communications by developing an evidence-based, government-wide strategic approach. It will look at how bilingual communications are planned, coordinated, delivered, and evaluated across government.

Led by FLSD, ECO and CS, this project creates an opportunity to take a comprehensive and strategic look at bilingual communications across government, with particular attention to emergency preparedness and responsiveness.

It is funded by the Government of Canada as a special project under the Canada–Yukon Agreement on Minority-Language Services.

Why now

There are several factors make this the right time to undertake this work, which includes:

  • a growing Francophone community;
  • an evolving communications environment; and
  • an increase to government priorities and commitments.

The Yukon has a growing francophone community​ ​

The communications landscape

The communications landscape is changing. New realities call for a stronger approach. We know that Yukoners increasingly expect information to be accessible, timely, and available through a variety of channels. At the same time, government services and communications have become increasingly digital. But keeping up with the pace, is not without its challenges.

Government priorities

As a government, we have clear strategic commitments to advancing bilingual services and communications.

We have a strategic framework for French-language services that helps guide government actions and investments in response to the evolving needs and priorities of the Yukon’s Francophone community. One of the key strategies is to “continue to improve our bilingual emergency responsiveness.”


Objectives

We recognize that this project is ambitious. It will not address every challenge overnight, but it will help us better understand the current state of bilingual communications, identify opportunities for improvement and establish a roadmap for future action.

We hope to:

  • strengthen government's capacity to communicate effectively in English and French, during both routine operations and emergencies;
  • provide departments with clearer guidance, tools, and support to plan and deliver bilingual communications;
  • support more consistent and coordinated bilingual communications practices across departments; and
  • help inform future decisions and investments that will advance access to services and information in French.

By the end of this project we should be able to answer some of these questions:

  • What does effective bilingual communication look like in the Government of Yukon context?
  • Which bilingual communications practices are working well today and should be expanded?
  • Do departments feel they have the knowledge and skills needed to plan and deliver bilingual communications, whether it is routine activities or in emergencies?
  • What actions would have the greatest impact on improving access to government information in French for Yukoners?

Ultimately, we want Yukoners have better access to timely government information in French.

Focus areas

Timeline

Phase 1: Discovery (2026–27)

  • Timeline item 1 - incomplete

    Jurisdictional scan

    A jurisdictional scan of bilingual communications practices in public administrations

  • Timeline item 2 - incomplete

    Gap analysis

    A gap analysis of Government of Yukon’s bilingual communications capacity and practices

  • Timeline item 3 - incomplete

    Feasibility study

    A feasibility study for a simultaneous interpretation service for Government of Yukon

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Household scientific survey

    A survey to gather up-to-date insights on how Yukoners prefer to receive government information, including information in French and emergency communications

  • Timeline item 5 - incomplete

    Internal review

    A internal review of corporate strategies, tools and processes (e.g., social media strategy)

Phase 2: Development (2027–28)

  • Timeline item 1 - incomplete

    Identify opportunities

    Identifying opportunities to integrate bilingual communication into existing corporate processes and structures

  • Timeline item 2 - incomplete

    Gather input

    Gather input and to make informed decisions to established clear priorities

  • Timeline item 3 - incomplete

    Develop a strategic framework

    Developing a strategic framework and implementation pathway grounded in operational realities

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Establish success measures

    Establishing success measures and track progress to support continuous improvement

Get involved

You are the subject matter expert

Over the coming weeks and months, the project team and our service providers will engage employees and stakeholders from across government, as well as contacts in other jurisdictions, to better understand:

  • current practices;
  • challenges faced; and
  • opportunities to explore;

There will be many opportunities to contribute along the way, including:

  • sharing relevant documentation, tools and resources;
  • participating in interviews and engagement sessions; and
  • providing operational insights and perspectives.

We really want to focus on what is most likely to deliver meaningful impact, what is practical in the Yukon context and what capabilities and systems are required to support success. Which means we want you to be a part of the process. In addition to the opportunities mentioned above you can help:

  • review findings and proposed directions; and
  • help assess recommendations and implementation considerations.

Loading...

  • This project will be stronger with your help

    Whether you have questions, ideas, priorities, examples, lessons learned, or relevant documents to share, you can help shape this project.

    Your input will help strengthen our understanding of where we are today and where we should focus our efforts.

    Visit our engagement page