# Université de l'Ontario français

> Public university in Toronto, Canada

**Wikidata**: [Q83804736](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83804736)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Université_de_l'Ontario_français)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/universite-de-l-ontario-francais

## Summary
Université de l'Ontario français is a public French-language university located in Toronto, Canada. Established in 2017, it serves as an academic institution for further education, focusing on serving Ontario's Franco-Ontarian community.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 2017 as Ontario's first independent French-language university
- Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with coordinates at 43.64461111111111, -79.36858333333333
- The university has shown significant growth, increasing from 8 employees in 2019 to 157 employees in 2024
- Revenue grew substantially from $476,424 CAD in 2019 to $20,888,819 CAD in 2024
- Current rector is Normand Labrie (since May 2024), who previously served from July 2018 to June 2019
- Functions as both a university and a charitable organization in Canada
- Members of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences and Canadian Research Knowledge Network
- Has alternate names including uontario.ca and Université franco-ontarienne

## FAQs
### Q: When was Université de l'Ontario français founded?
A: Université de l'Ontario français was founded in 2017 as Ontario's first independent French-language university.

### Q: What is the primary purpose of the university?
A: The university serves as an academic institution for further education, specifically focusing on serving Ontario's Franco-Ontarian community through French-language instruction and programs.

### Q: How has the university grown since its establishment?
A: Since its founding, the university has expanded significantly, with employee count increasing from 8 in 2019 to 157 in 2024, while revenue grew from $476,424 CAD to over $20 million CAD during the same period.

### Q: What is the university's organizational status?
A: The university functions as both a university and a charitable organization in Canada, with registration number 735923286RR0001 with the Canada Revenue Agency.

## Why It Matters
Université de l'Ontario français addresses a critical need in Canada's educational landscape by providing accessible French-language higher education opportunities for Franco-Ontarians. Before its establishment, Ontario lacked an independent French-language university despite having a significant Francophone population. The university's creation preserves and promotes French language and culture while ensuring equitable access to higher education for Francophone communities. Its growth trajectory demonstrates increasing recognition and support for French-language education in the province, contributing to Canada's bilingual heritage and addressing historical gaps in educational access. The institution also represents an important economic and cultural asset to both the Francophone community and Toronto at large.

## Notable For
- Being Ontario's first independent French-language university, filling a significant educational gap
- Demonstrating exceptional financial growth, increasing revenue by over 4,000% between 2019 and 2024
- Showing rapid organizational expansion, growing from 8 to 157 employees in just five years
- Operating as a unique dual-function entity serving both as an academic institution and charitable organization
- Preserving and promoting French language and culture through higher education in an English-dominant province

## Body

### Leadership and Governance
Université de l'Ontario français has had several rectors throughout its short history. Normand Labrie served as the inaugural rector from July 2018 to June 2019, returned to the position in May 2024, and currently holds the role. Pierre Ouellette served as rector from July 2021 to May 2024. The university operates with a governance structure typical of Canadian higher education institutions, with the rector serving as the chief executive officer.

### Financial Growth
The university has experienced remarkable financial growth since its inception:
- 2019: Revenue of $476,424 CAD, total assets of $261,274 CAD
- 2020: Revenue of $4,895,305 CAD, total assets of $2,707,950 CAD
- 2021: Revenue of $7,526,369 CAD, total assets of $22,438,040 CAD
- 2022: Revenue of $14,291,708 CAD, total assets of $27,160,958 CAD
- 2023: Revenue of $19,710,189 CAD, total assets of $26,266,594 CAD
- 2024: Revenue of $20,888,819 CAD, total assets of $23,533,779 CAD

The university's donations have also fluctuated significantly, reaching $1,059,678 CAD in 2024 after much smaller amounts in previous years.

### Academic Identity
As a public university, Université de l'Ontario français primarily delivers instruction in French, aligning with its mission to serve Ontario's Franco-Ontarian population. The institution maintains its primary website at https://uontario.ca in French. The university is recognized as both a university and a charitable organization in Canada, registered under the Canada Revenue Agency with program account number 735923286RR0001.

### Organizational Membership
The university holds memberships in several important academic organizations:
- Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (since October 9, 2023)
- Canadian Research Knowledge Network (since September 4, 2023)

These affiliations connect the institution with broader academic networks and research communities across Canada.

### Media Presence
The university has a notable presence across multiple Wikipedia language editions (Belarusian, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and Yue Chinese), with its English article titled "Université de l'Ontario français." It has 7 sitelinks and is referenced by 206 entities related to universities. The institution has been featured in various media outlets, including La Presse, Le Droit, and L'Express, highlighting its development and significance in Ontario's educational landscape.

## References

1. [Source](https://l-express.ca/inauguration-officielle-de-luniversite-de-lontario-francais/)
2. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20231009110100/https://www.federationhss.ca/en/membership/our-members)
3. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20230904115855/https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/en/members)
4. [Source](https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1073171/projet-de-loi-universite-francophone-adopte)
5. [Source](https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/education/un-recteur-par-interim-pour-luof-cd5322421bc0b2ef283d86a65da3f8ec)
6. [Source](https://l-express.ca/retour-de-normand-labrie-comme-recteur-de-luniversite-de-lontario-francais/)
7. [Source](https://www.charitydata.ca/charity/universite-de-lontario-francais/735923286RR0001/)
8. ROR release v1.20
9. Canada Revenue Agency