Province Establishes Permanent Legacy Commemorating 400 Years Of French Presence In Ontario
NEWS
November 5, 2015
Ontario is investing $356,000 to create the province’s first Virtual Museum of the Francophonie to celebrate Ontario’s francophone heritage and to establish an important legacy for future generations.
The virtual museum, #mON400, showcases Franco-Ontarian history and artifacts from more than 35 museums and heritage organizations across Ontario. The online collection will also engage with Ontarians over a number of social media platforms.
Celebrating Ontario’s francophone heritage is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario up. This four-part plan includes investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic and supportive environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
QUOTES
“This past year, all of Ontario was engaged in commemorating the 400th anniversary of French presence in Ontario. The #mON400 virtual museum initiative will permanently extend the reach of the 400th commemoration and continue to promote Franco-Ontarian history and heritage beyond 2015. This platform allows all Ontarians to discover the richness of Ontario’s francophonie and will surely become an important educational tool for future generations.”
― Madeleine Meilleur, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.
“The virtual museum will offer all Ontarians the chance to connect and develop ties between different regions. It will support our more than 700 member museums in telling the story of Ontario’s Francophonie and be integrated into local activities to enhance our tourism and heritage offering.”
— Marie Lalonde,
Executive Director, Ontario Museum Association
QUICK FACTS
- The year 2015 marks the 400th anniversary of French explorer Samuel de Champlain’s first journey to Ontario.
- The province’s investment in the Virtual Museum is part of $5.9 million in funding provided for the 400th commemoration, which included $1.4 million in project-based funding to 62 community organizations and municipalities across Ontario.
- The Ontario Museum Association (OMA) includes more than 700 museums, galleries and historic sites that manage the province’s collections for Ontario’s population.
- More than 35 museums and heritage organizations, including Hearst Ecomuseum, Ontario Royal Museum and Vanier Museopark, scanned their collections and submitted over 200 objects, images and archive documents to the virtual museum.
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