Conseil Scolaire Francophone
de la Colombie-Britannique
(francophone education authority)

History of the Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique (Francophone Education Authority of British Columbia.
It is the Lieutenant Governor (of the Cabinet of the provincial government) who has the authority to create and name an FEA as well as determine the jurisdiction or territory it includes. The Lieutenant Governor also has the power to redefine the jurisdiction, change the name or dissolve the FEA.
1979 |
Official approval of the Francophone program (known as the “ProgrammeCadre”) by the provincial government. 232 students in 9 school districts. |
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1982 |
Adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognizes the right of Canadians to be educated in either of the country’s official languages (their mother tongue) wherever they reside in Canada. |
1983 |
Opening of the first “stand-alone” public French school in British Columbia (école Anne-Hébert in Vancouver). |
1986 |
The Greater Victoria School Board assumes control of école Victor-Brodeur, located on the military base in Esquimalt, making it the second “stand-alone” French public school in BC. |
1987 |
The third stand-alone French public school, l’école André-Piolat, opens in North Vancouver. |
1988 |
The Parents’ Association of the French Cadre Programme (APPCF) takes legal action. |
1990 |
The BC Minister of Education creates a special task force on the status of French education in the province. |
1991 |
Delivery of the Special Task Force’s report to the Ministry of Education. |
1992 |
The Ministry of Education announces the government’s intention to establish a Francophone Education Authority (FEA) in BC. |
1994 |
Reactivation of the legal proceedings following the backing down of the provincial government on their promise to create an FEA. |
1995 |
The Ministry of Education announces the creation of the Francophone Education Authority/FEA or Conseil scolaire francophone (CSF). The CSF is granted the responsibility for French as a first language education throughout BC. |
1995 |
Creation of the first 5 school boards by the provincial government. The jurisdiction of the CSF to include the southern part of Vancouver Island, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. |
1996 |
Process begins to change legislation to include the right to French education in BC. |
1996 |
Announcement of the decision of Judge Vickers from the Supreme Court of British Columbia |
1997 |
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia votes in favour of Bill 45 to amend the law and give residents the right to receive francophone education |
1997 |
New Bill put forth to redefine the jurisdiction of the FEA to extend across the whole province and for the creation of a mechanism for arbitration to solve the disputes in the negotiations of services between the CSF and the English school districts. |
1998 |
July 1, 1999, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia approves the Bill from the Ministry of Education granting the CSF management of the francophone education programme for the entire province of BC. |
1998 |
The first CSF school is established: l’école des Deux-Rives in Mission. |
1998 |
The CSF begins to offer full-time kindergarten. |
1999 |
The CSF officially takes over responsibility for francophone education throughout the province of BC. Seven electoral regions are created. |
1999 |
First elections of seven members of the CSF Board of Directors. |
2000 |
Creation of an education working group including partners from French organizations: Federation of Francophone Parents of B.C.; Federation of Francophones of BC; the CSF Teachers’ Union; the public servants union; and the Regroupement des directions francophones.Since that time, additions to this group have been: Éducacentre; le Conseil jeunesse francophone and the BC French Arts and Culture Council. |
2000 |
Purchase of nine schools, construction of two schools and a third school construction underway. |
2004 |
Reorganization of decision-making process of the CSF Board of Directors and the consultation process through the creation of two new committees—one for management and one for education. Creation of an education coalition between the CSF, the Federation of Francophone Parents of B.C., Éducacentre and Simon Fraser University. |
The Conseil scolaire francophone offers Francophone education and services in 39 schools—21 of which are stand-alone—around the province. Since September 2006, it offers a Francophone program in Nelson (kindergarten to grade 3) and at Penticton Secondary (grades 9 and 10). Current CSF enrolment is above 4,000 students, up from 1,800 in 1996, an increase of 117 %.