Spaces of Encounter: The Social and Cultural Integration Experiences of Francophone Immigrants and Refugees in Official-Language Minority Francophone Communities

Our study examined the role that community spaces play in the social and cultural integration experiences of Francophone immigrants and refugees living in two official-language minority Francophone communities (CFSM) in Ontario, namely Ottawa and London. By community spaces we mean both physical spaces such as institutions and organizations, and virtual spaces, including social media and ethnic and community media. Our three main objectives were to critically examine: (1) the access to and use of these spaces by Francophone immigrants for their participation and their social and cultural integration in the CFSM; (2) their experiences of inclusion and participation in these spaces, taking into account identity markers and their intersectionalities (e.g. language, race and ethnicity, gender, immigration status); and (3) how the everyday experiences of Francophone immigrants differ according to the unique sociohistorical and geographic context of the CFSM.