1. MTO FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES OFFICE
French Language Services Update
ADMO
April 2014

2. 2
Purpose
• Provide updates on the following:
 Staffing Plan Instructions
 FLS Contributions to MTO Online
 Bilingual Variable Message Sign Initiative – Communications Strategy for
Francophone Community
 Bilingual Variable Message Signs – Deployment of Safety Messages
 Open Data
 Common Service Standards and FLS Best Practices
 Other
 Regulation 284/11
 Sign Designer Position – PHM
 O/O Permits and IRP On-line Videos
 Road Info Clerks

3. 3
Staffing Plan Guide 2014-15
 The Staffing Plan Guide for 2014-15 was recently forwarded to
divisions by Strategic Human Resources Branch
 Instructions on treatment of Designated Bilingual Positions (DBP)
are part of the guide and include the following:
Considerations to help identify when designated positions are required
Actions that divisions can take related to DBPs
Consultations with FLS Office in order to create or change DBPs
Approval process before making changes to DBPs

4. 4
FLS Contributions to MTO Online
The FLS Office has made a number of contributions to MTO Online in
recent months
The most recent contribution served to promote International
Francophonie Day on March 20, 2014
Other postings in February and March included:
 Winter Driving Videos Engaging for both French and English Audiences
 Road Safety Partners with Francophone Stakeholders
 Are you Compliant with Ontario’s Third-party Regulation
 Update on the French Language Services Commissioner
 Register for French Classes Now!
Upcoming contribution – Update on the Ministry’s Bilingual Variable
Message Sign Strategy

5. 5
Bilingual Variable Message Sign Initiative
Communications Strategy for Francophone Community
 PHM has retained IBI Group to oversee the development of a
variety of communications materials (with FleishmanHillard)
intended for both the Francophone and Anglophone public about
the Bilingual Variable Message Sign Initiative
 The purpose of the communications strategy is to educate the
public and increase their awareness and understanding of the
meaning and purpose of the bilingual pictogram messages
 A small portion of the funding for the assignment is provided by the
federal government under the Canada-Ontario Agreement on
French Language Services ($25,000 over two years)
 All deliverables to be completed by December 2014
 Kick off meeting held on March 21, 2014

6. 6
Bilingual Variable Message Signs
Deployment of Safety Messages
 PHM has begun the deployment of
bilingual safety messages in locations
where new generation of variable message
signs have been installed
 Signs with new messaging are found in:
St. Catharines, Burlington, Mississauga
and Toronto (see Appendix 1, slide 12)
 The safety messages are displayed on
approximately 16 signs at off-peak hours.
Guide messages (i.e. Keele St 2 KM) are
displayed on an additional 5 signs
 An additional 10 new signs will be installed
by end of year (Keele St WB collector and
9 signs in east end of Toronto along the
401)

7. 7
Open Government
 FLS Office met with staff from FOI and Communications Branch on
April 7, 2014
 MTO Workplan (submitted to MGS in January 2014) was shared
with FLS Office
 Discussed ministry plans under open information to transfer more
information to Ontario.ca
 Open Dialogue, opportunity for FLS Office to feed Francophone
stakeholder information to divisions as they engage the public
 FLS Office shared presentation made by Mathew Chu, MGS, DMs
Office, to FLS Coordinators on April 1, 2014. The presentation
outlines FLS requirements for Open Government (see Appendix 2,
slide 13)

8. 8
Common Service Standards and FLS Best Practices
 FLS Office integrated FLS Best Practices into Common Service
Standards reviews at MTO back in 2007
 The reviews capture FLS Best Practices for voice mail,
correspondence, and public enquiry line. This has allowed the
ministry to make steady progress in the quality of services it
delivers to the public
 MGS has recently added to Common Service Standards references
to meeting the requirements of the FLS Act, the Communication in
French Directive and Active Offer of Service
 The changes made by MGS in the measurement of Common Service
Standards have no impact on MTO as we have been addressing FLS
requirements in our reviews since 2007

9. 9
Common Service Standards and FLS Best Practices
 In an effort to continue to raise the awareness of MTO staff about
the Common Service Standards (CSS) and FLS Best Practices, the
FLS Office is finalizing a presentation to be rolled out within the
next 1.5 months to managers and staff in designated positions
 The presentation will address the following:
 CCS and FLS Best Practices for:
 In-Person
 Mail / Fax
 Email / Online
 Telephone – Live Answer
 Formatting Automated Telephone Systems
 Voice Mail Protocol
 Voice Mail Message Samples
 Active Offer of Service
 Highlights and Achievements
 Resources

10. 10
Other
Regulation 284/11
Regulation 284/11 on Third Parties. FLS Office obtained final briefing
information from Finance Branch
Will hold off sending final report on compliance as CAO will receive
communications from OFA in May 2014
Metrolinx will be required to report through MTO
The reporting requirement will remain in effect beyond July 1, 2014
Sign Designer Position
Working with Head Office Traffic on recruitment of a bilingual sign
designer for a one-year-temporary assignment
FLS Office assisted in revising the JIP and will conduct outreach to
Francophone stakeholders to attract a pool of qualified candidates

11. 11
Other
Oversize/Overweight (O/O) Permits and International
Registration Plan (IRP)
Met with program lead on April 3, 2014 to discuss development of French
online help videos related to IRP for external users with access to online
services through the new Permitting & Registration System for IRP & O/O
(PRIO). The video will walk users through the process to:
 Request a single trip permit
 Create a new account
 Add vehicles
 Add a jurisdiction
 Renew permits

12. 12
Other
Road Info Clerks
Met with Manager Customer Service Office on March 28, 2014 to explore long-
term strategies to enhance the quality of products offered to the public in
French under Ontario511. Road Info services are a highly visible service
provided to the public using the following channels:
 The MTO website (under Ontario 511) as well as Ontario.ca:
 Road closure information
 Winter road conditions
 Construction reports
 Traffic reports
 Public inquiry line updated daily with information outlined above
 Twitter accounts (Ontario511) providing road closure information

13. 13
Appendix 1
Locations of new bilingual variable message signs:
409 E/B @ Kipling (guide sign)
401 E/B COL @ 400
401 W/B EXP west of Yonge (guide sign)
401 W/B COL @ Weston
401 E/B EXP west of Bayview (guide sign)
401 W/B COL east of Leslie
401 E/B COL east of Don Mills
DVP N/B south of 3 Valleys Dr.
404 S/B north of Van Horne
401 W/B EXP east of Victoria Park
401 E/B EXP east of Warden (guide sign)
401 W/B COL west of Kennedy
Gardiner EXP W/B near Kipling
Gardiner W/B COL near Kipling
QEW Toronto bound near Dixie Rd
QEW Ft. Erie bound near Erin Mills
QEW Toronto bound near Fairview (guide sign)
QEW Ft. Erie bound near Fairview
QEW Ft. Erie bound before Burlington St.
QEW Toronto bound near Millen Road
QEW Toronto bound beyond Glendale

14. 14
Appendix 2
French Language Services and Open Government
Open Government initiatives will be implemented in accordance with
French language requirements and considerations. For example:
 Translation exemption granted for datasets, however, the Open Data Catalogue is
fully bilingual
 Descriptions of datasets along with other supporting material (labels, legends)
should be translated
 Interested users of data can contact the Open Data team for assistance in
addressing language-related inquiries and concerns
 All information made open must be provided in both languages
 Consultations and other forms of public engagement should always consider
French-speaking participants and interests
Ministry FLS Coordinators should be involved in any public
engagement and outreach activities