THUNDER BAY – Francophone stakeholders in Thunder Bay are banking on tourism to grow the French-speaking population. They are making a bold bet: tourists will be seduced by the region and they will want to settle there for the long term.

“It’s simple, we believe that tourism is a great opportunity to have a first approach with people. We can then make them discover the region. Northwestern Ontario is little known by the province’s Francophones, as well as Quebecers and Acadians whom we are also targeting,” says François Hastir, Executive Director of the Association des francophones du Nord-Ouest de l’Ouest. Ontario (AFNOO).