Does anyone have experience with learning French as a newcomer in Toronto? I don't know anything about where to go, who to call, what to pay or anything...
Learning French in Toronto...
- Thread starter Swede
- Start date
Because Toronto isn't Quebec, nor is it near the Quebec border like Ottawa is, there is little demand for French classes. Ask around some immigrant centers, that's what I did. This is one place that I found that offers French lessons:
http://costi.org/programs/program_details.php?program_id=190
I believe that the Peel Region Catholic Crosscultural Services also offer French night classes. Their website is ccspeel.org. Phone number is 905-273-4140 in Mississauga and 905-4357-7740 in Brampton. I couldn't find any information on their website. Some school boards may also offer French night classes as well and you might want to check with the school board closest to you.
All the colleges in the GTA offer continuing education French classes that would award you a certificate in French. The classes are more structured and will train you better than the government-sponsored immigrant programs, but that would involve you enrolling as a student and paying fees:
http://calendardb.humber.ca/LIS/WebCalendar/CE/ProgramOffering.do?name=09401
http://db2.centennialcollege.ca/ce/certdetail.php?CertificateCode=7917
http://coned.georgebrown.ca/owa_prod/cewskcrss.P_Certificate?area_code=PA0013&cert_code=CE0124
https://www.senecac.on.ca/ce/programs/french_liberal_lang.html
http://sculptor.sheridanc.on.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/InterestItemDisplayView?storeId=10051&catalogId=10051&progId=165
And finally all the universities do offer French courses as well, but they are definitely more expensive than colleges and the standard could be quite advanced.
Please note, that if you are trying to learn French to improve your chances at getting bilingual jobs, these classes will not be enough. They will only provide you with basic conversational French. I attended a few classes when I first arrived in Canada and felt that they were way too easy. I took French for 4 years in high school and was hoping that these courses would be a refresher. Many people in those classes attended under the misconception that having some French knowledge would qualify themselves for a lot of bilingual jobs being advertised.
To be able to qualify for bilingual jobs you have to be able to read, write and speak French almost like a native Francophone - which means many years of foundation and learning - and it's usually for English-speaking Canadians who attended French schools growing up, or Canadians outside of Quebec who attended French-immersion programs, or people from Quebec/Northern Ontario who are fully bilingual because of their heritage, or people who have degrees in French language, or I guess people from France. There is this woman I work with who is from Haiti and French is her first language, but she could not pass the French test because she was unable to explain certain concepts and rules related to her job in French.
http://costi.org/programs/program_details.php?program_id=190
I believe that the Peel Region Catholic Crosscultural Services also offer French night classes. Their website is ccspeel.org. Phone number is 905-273-4140 in Mississauga and 905-4357-7740 in Brampton. I couldn't find any information on their website. Some school boards may also offer French night classes as well and you might want to check with the school board closest to you.
All the colleges in the GTA offer continuing education French classes that would award you a certificate in French. The classes are more structured and will train you better than the government-sponsored immigrant programs, but that would involve you enrolling as a student and paying fees:
http://calendardb.humber.ca/LIS/WebCalendar/CE/ProgramOffering.do?name=09401
http://db2.centennialcollege.ca/ce/certdetail.php?CertificateCode=7917
http://coned.georgebrown.ca/owa_prod/cewskcrss.P_Certificate?area_code=PA0013&cert_code=CE0124
https://www.senecac.on.ca/ce/programs/french_liberal_lang.html
http://sculptor.sheridanc.on.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/InterestItemDisplayView?storeId=10051&catalogId=10051&progId=165
And finally all the universities do offer French courses as well, but they are definitely more expensive than colleges and the standard could be quite advanced.
Please note, that if you are trying to learn French to improve your chances at getting bilingual jobs, these classes will not be enough. They will only provide you with basic conversational French. I attended a few classes when I first arrived in Canada and felt that they were way too easy. I took French for 4 years in high school and was hoping that these courses would be a refresher. Many people in those classes attended under the misconception that having some French knowledge would qualify themselves for a lot of bilingual jobs being advertised.
To be able to qualify for bilingual jobs you have to be able to read, write and speak French almost like a native Francophone - which means many years of foundation and learning - and it's usually for English-speaking Canadians who attended French schools growing up, or Canadians outside of Quebec who attended French-immersion programs, or people from Quebec/Northern Ontario who are fully bilingual because of their heritage, or people who have degrees in French language, or I guess people from France. There is this woman I work with who is from Haiti and French is her first language, but she could not pass the French test because she was unable to explain certain concepts and rules related to her job in French.
Thank you so much for you exhaustive reply, mediajunkie! 
I have no illusions that I will ever be fluent in French, I would just want to know enough to get by in the streets of e.g. Quebec City without being sneered at.
I have no illusions that I will ever be fluent in French, I would just want to know enough to get by in the streets of e.g. Quebec City without being sneered at.