Ottawa to host the 2028 Francophonie Summit, with up to 4,000 visitors expected
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Canada Day that Ottawa will host the 2028 Francophonie Summit. One local official puts its economic impact at more than $11 million.
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Ottawa will host the 2028 Francophonie Summit, and Ottawa Tourism expects it to draw as many as 4,000 people to the city, the Ottawa Business Journal reported on November 3. One local official told the Journal the summit could generate more than $11 million in economic impact.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Canada Day that the 2028 summit would take place in Ottawa. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand had presented Canada's candidacy in Paris on March 25, 2026, according to Global Affairs Canada.
What the summit is
The summit brings together leaders of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the international body of countries and governments that share the French language. Global Affairs Canada says the organisation has 90 member states and governments, including observers, and represents more than one billion people.
The release of March 25 also renewed Canada's funding for the organisation: $20.8 million, or $5.2 million a year, from fiscal year 2025-2026 to 2028-2029. That money pays for the organisation's own work on the French language, democracy, human rights and education.
What it means for Ottawa businesses
Jérôme Miousse of Ottawa Tourism told the Journal the event will bring long-term gains in infrastructure and capacity-building as well as visitors. Ottawa Tourism plans to work with local partners to help hotels, restaurants and attractions offer more service in French.
One idea is a group of businesses that looks for gaps in French-language service. It would follow the model of the accessibility group Ottawa Tourism used for the 2025 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships. Updated signs for visitors are also planned.
Gatineau's share
Parts of the event are expected on both sides of the Ottawa River, the Journal reported. Geneviève Latulippe, chief executive of Tourisme Outaouais, told the Journal she expects hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions in Gatineau to benefit.
No dates for the 2028 summit have been published. The Journal's report and the Global Affairs Canada release both give only the year.
Questions this story answers
What is the Francophonie Summit?
It is a meeting of leaders from the member states and governments of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the international body of countries that share the French language. Global Affairs Canada says the organisation brings together 90 member states and governments, including observers.
Who announced that Ottawa would host the 2028 summit?
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Canada Day that the 2028 summit would take place in Ottawa, the Ottawa Business Journal reported. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand had presented Canada's candidacy in Paris on March 25, 2026, according to Global Affairs Canada.
How many people are expected to attend the 2028 summit in Ottawa?
Jérôme Miousse of Ottawa Tourism told the Ottawa Business Journal that the summit will attract as many as 4,000 people to the capital. The Journal published that figure on November 3, 2026. No official count of delegations or visitors has been published yet.
What is the expected economic benefit for Ottawa?
The Ottawa Business Journal reported on November 3, 2026 that the summit could generate more than $11 million in economic impact, according to one local official. The same official said the event would also bring long-term benefits in infrastructure and capacity-building.
What is the $20.8 million in federal money for?
It is Canada's funding for the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie itself, and the release does not tie it to the summit. Global Affairs Canada says the $20.8 million, or $5.2 million a year, covers fiscal years 2025-2026 to 2028-2029 and supports the organisation's work on the French language, democracy and education.
How is Ottawa Tourism preparing for the summit?
The Ottawa Business Journal reported that Ottawa Tourism will work with local partners to prepare frontline businesses such as hotels and restaurants to offer more service in French. One idea is a group of businesses that looks for gaps in French-language service, and updated signs for visitors are also planned.
Will Gatineau also see part of the summit?
Yes. The Ottawa Business Journal reported that parts of the event are expected in both Ottawa and Gatineau. Tourisme Outaouais chief executive Geneviève Latulippe told the Journal she expects hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions on the Quebec side of the river to benefit.
When will the 2028 Francophonie Summit take place?
No dates have been published. The Ottawa Business Journal report of November 3, 2026 and the Global Affairs Canada release of March 25, 2026 both give only the year, 2028. voche.me will report the dates once the federal government or the organisation publishes them.
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