About Us

The Origin of the Program

The Café de Paris was created in 2013 at the Saint John Regional Hospital, the largest hospital in New Brunswick, following discussions within the local Francophone liaison subcommittee. The goal was to address the needs of the minority Francophone community, who were seeking better access to health services in French, and to raise awareness among hospital staff about the importance of actively offering services in both official languages. Many employees did not see the connection between language and the quality or safety of care, which represented a cultural challenge to overcome.

To address this, the subcommittee launched the Café de Paris project, a free and voluntary initiative designed to help employees acquire or maintain a basic level of French in an informal and non-intimidating setting. The space, set up in the hospital cafeteria, allowed participants to practice spoken French, access language resources, and prepare to offer bilingual services. A retired French teacher was hired to lead the sessions, which were held once a week, with both open drop-in times and more structured, appointment-based sessions.

The hospital’s management supported the project from the outset, facilitating its implementation and visibility. Icebreaker activities and cultural events, organized in collaboration with the Francophone community, were held to foster integration and understanding between the two language groups. The success of the Café de Paris quickly attracted the interest of other healthcare facilities in the region, which adopted the model within the first year.

In less than three years, the Café de Paris expanded to several other health centers, including the New Brunswick Heart Centre, St. Stephen, St. George, Blacks Harbour, Sussex, mental health and public health services, as well as Fredericton and Miramichi. At the same time, the Official Languages team began offering training on active offer and language policies to employees, in order to strengthen the quality of bilingual services throughout the Horizon Health Network.

In summary, the Café de Paris has become a key tool for promoting bilingualism, improving access to French-language services, and fostering an inclusive and respectful work environment for both official languages in healthcare facilities across southern New Brunswick.

The Benefits of the Program

The active offer of services in French in health care institutions is essential, particularly in French-speaking minority communities, to ensure safe, ethical and high-quality health services respectful of patients’ language rights.19 Among the solutions implemented to achieve these objectives, the Café de Paris program stands out for its effectiveness. This innovative program, which equips professionals to interact better in French, plays a central role in improving the patient experience, providing professional support and strengthening health care institutions. The outcomes attest to its positive impact in the promotion of inclusive, equitable health care.

For Patients

Access to French-language health services significantly improves the French-speaking patient experience. Receiving health care in their mother tongue results in a better understanding of their diagnoses, treatment and recommendations, which reinforces their adherence to care and overall satisfaction. Patients are more likely to follow through with post-visit treatment. Clear communication in their language also reduces risk of medical error, particularly in stressful or complex situations. Finally, this offer values cultural and linguistic diversity, which reinforces the sentiment of inclusion and patient respect.

For Health Care Professionals

Café de Paris enables health care professionals to develop and maintain their language skills, thereby enriching their daily practice. This encourages a relationship of trust with patients through fluid, adaptive communication. A relationship of trust also reduces the stress of misunderstanding or the need to resort to interpreters while offering continuing development opportunities to improve their language proficiency and cultural competence.

For Health Care Institutions

Institutions adopting this program note a substantial improvement in the quality of health care20. By better responding to the health care needs of French-speaking patients, they reinforce their reputation as inclusive institutions respectful of diversity. In addition to reducing the number of readmissions, this approach helps reduce costs related to medical errors and complications.

This program goes beyond simple language training. It helps build a health care environment that is respectful of language and cultural rights while supporting institutions in their quest for excellence and equity. Adopting Café de Paris is taking a concrete step toward a more accessible and humane health care system.