MONTREAL -- A French-language learning program to help local businesses had a record year, according to the Metropolitan Montreal board of Trade.
Some 748 merchants took part in 'J'apprends le français' sessions at their workplace in 2019 - a record since the program's launch in 2016.
"The number of merchants participating is rising sharply, and many of them are continuing with a second session," said Board of Trade president Michel Leblanc.
The program went from 30 participants in 2017 to 900 in 2019 and has become so popular that 396 merchants are on a waiting list, said Leblanc.
Tailored to the needs of merchants, the program pairs merchants with students specializing in French-language instruction from five partnering universities and takes into consideration the reality of many business owners: they work long hours and have little free time.
'J'apprends le français' lets shopkeepers learn French in their workplaces through conversation workshops, focusing on issues they would face on the job.
The program expanded in 2019 thanks to government support and is now available in all Montreal boroughs as well as in Laval, Brossard and Longueuil. It has also been offered in Sherbrooke for the last year.
The goal for 2020 is to increase the reach of the program and reach all business owners hoping to learn French, said Leblanc.
