We Asked, You Answered: Key Findings from Our 2026 Needs Assessment
Over the course of six months, from August 2025 through February 2026, we consulted with the English-speaking community of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean to better understand their realities, needs, and priorities.
This consultation process was designed to help inform our strategic planning and ensure that the programs and services we offer genuinely reflect the needs and priorities of the community. This report presents the findings of that evaluation process, carried out through a MITACS internship in partnership with the Laboratoire de gouvernance alternative (LAGORA) at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, and was guided by three main objectives:
Assess the issues and needs
Develop and propose possible solutions to meet the needs
Propose evaluation mechanisms to measure the impact of strategic planning actions
Methodology
Observation of the organizations activities
Research and literature review
Activities: 196 participants met
Social Realities
Participants across all age groups described how language barriers can affect their sense of belonging, confidence, and social participation within the region.
Institutional Realities
Participants identified several barriers when trying to access information, services, and community resources.
Communication and Access to Information
Children under 12 described difficulties understanding and responding in French in everyday situations.
Youth aged 12 to 18 reported challenges finding information in English about activities and opportunities available in the region.
Adults aged 19 to 55 said language barriers often made it difficult to seek help, access services, or navigate systems such as healthcare, insurance, banking, daycare, and French-language courses.
Older adults emphasized that learning a new language later in life can be especially challenging, which can increase hesitation when accessing services or engaging with the community.
Community priority: Improving access to clear, accessible, bilingual information and services.
Awareness of Community Supports
Adults aged 19 to 55 reported difficulty finding information about organizations and community resources, including services offered by groups such as ECO-02.
Community priority: Increasing awareness and visibility of English-language organizations and supports available in the region.
Economic Realities
Participants also identified economic barriers connected to language accessibility and access to essential services.
Access to Housing
Adults aged 19 to 55 reported difficulties both finding housing and understanding housing-related information available in the region.
Some participants indicated that language barriers complicated communication with landlords, understanding lease information, and navigating housing services.
Community priority: Improving access to housing information and support services in English.
Participation in Activities and Services
Participants identified several barriers that can limit participation in activities and access to services offered by ECO-02.
Adults aged 19 to 55 noted that some existing services are perceived as being primarily oriented toward seniors or individualized support services. Others emphasized that transportation and distance remain important barriers, particularly for individuals living outside Jonquière or without access to a personal vehicle.
Some parents also explained that participation is often dependent on whether childcare or child-friendly supervision is available during activities.
At the same time, the consultation confirmed strong interest in many of the types of activities already offered through ECO-02, while also highlighting opportunities to expand accessibility, diversify formats, and better adapt schedules and locations to community realities.
Building on Community Interests and Existing Activities
The consultation process confirmed that many of the activities, services, and initiatives already offered by ECO-02 align closely with the needs and interests expressed by participants. Across all age groups, respondents emphasized the importance of opportunities that foster social connection, language confidence, integration, wellness, learning, and access to information.
Participants expressed interest in a wide variety of community-building activities, including:
board games and gaming activities,
sports and outdoor recreation,
cooking workshops and shared meals,
karaoke, concerts, and creative workshops,
yoga and wellness activities,
photography clubs,
discussion groups,
social integration activities,
and intergenerational events for youth, adults, and families.
Many of these interests are already reflected in existing or developing ECO-02 programming, including quiz nights, hiking clubs, yoga, zootherapy, youth nights, discussion groups, family activities, seasonal festivals, and community events such as Semaine des familles and la grande semaine des tout-petits.
Rather than identifying an entirely new direction, the consultation largely highlighted opportunities to adapt and expand existing programming in ways that improve accessibility and participation. Participants emphasized the importance of:
offering more evening and weekend activities,
increasing activities outside Jonquière,
considering transportation barriers,
creating more family-friendly opportunities,
and providing welcoming spaces where English-speaking and French-speaking residents can interact in low-pressure environments.
The consultation also reinforced the importance of strengthening communication and accompaniment services. Adults aged 19 to 55 expressed interest in more accessible conversation activities, mentorship opportunities, newcomer accompaniment, and practical support navigating services and community systems. Participants also highlighted the need for clearer information about available resources, events, and supports across the region.
In response, ECO-02 identified opportunities to continue building on existing initiatives through:
evening webinars and discussion activities,
more structured language exchange opportunities,
tutoring and educational partnerships,
information sessions on navigating healthcare and community systems,
improved visibility of translation and accompaniment services,
and stronger outreach to schools, institutions, and community partners.
Housing, healthcare navigation, transportation, and access to information were also identified as ongoing priorities. Participants suggested increasing access to housing support, lease translation assistance, English-language health information, and clearer communication about available services. ECO-02 identified several ongoing or developing initiatives intended to support these needs, including workshops on tenant rights, healthcare navigation tools, mobile outreach initiatives, and stronger institutional partnerships.
The consultation further highlighted the importance of education, employment, and long-term community retention. Participants expressed interest in French-language learning support, career guidance, résumé and interview preparation, internships, and stronger pathways connecting English-speaking residents and students to employment opportunities within the region.
Overall, the consultation demonstrated that community members are looking not only for services, but for opportunities to build connection, confidence, and belonging within Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. Many of the priorities identified can be addressed by continuing to strengthen, adapt, and expand existing initiatives in ways that better reflect the realities of different age groups, municipalities, schedules, and levels of language confidence.
What Comes Next
The consultation process identified several priorities that will help guide future programming, services, and community development initiatives at ECO-02.
Already Underway
Continue and expand accessible community-building activities such as the Hiking Club and Youth Nights.
Increase opportunities for social connection through evening, weekend, and family-friendly programming.
Strengthen participation in existing activities by improving accessibility, outreach, and regional inclusion.
Building Momentum
Expand the visibility of ECO-02 services and programs within regional institutions, including schools, hospitals, seniors’ centres, CLSCs, and mental health services.
Increase awareness of available translation, accompaniment, and navigation support services.
Strengthen and modernize existing partner, service, and employer databases to improve referrals, outreach, and community connections.
Continue developing partnerships with educational institutions, employers, healthcare organizations, and community agencies across the region.
Looking Ahead
Diversify and strengthen organizational funding sources beyond grant-based funding to support sustainable growth and long-term service delivery.
Continue advocacy efforts with employers and institutions to improve inclusion, accessibility, and opportunities for English-speaking residents within the region.
Expand regional capacity to support the retention, integration, and long-term participation of English-speaking individuals and families in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
Limitations of the Consultation
While the consultation process provided valuable insight into the experiences and needs of the English-speaking community in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, several limitations should be acknowledged.
Due to the timeline of the MITACS internship, opportunities for broader data collection and additional community outreach were limited. Time and logistical constraints also reduced our ability to organize activities and consultations outside the Saguenay area, which impacted our ability to fully capture perspectives from across the region.
Participation levels also varied across demographic groups. In particular, men and adults aged 55 and over were less represented in consultation activities and events, which limited the amount of data collected from these populations.
Despite these limitations, the consultation process identified several consistent themes and priorities that will help guide future community development, programming, and outreach efforts.
Community Feedback in Action
The consultation process has already contributed to the development and implementation of several new initiatives aimed at responding to identified community needs.
One of the first initiatives implemented following the consultation was the launch of the Patient Navigator Program. This service is designed to help English-speaking residents better access healthcare and social services within the region.
The Patient Navigator provides accompaniment, guidance, information, and referral support to help individuals navigate systems and connect with appropriate services more confidently and effectively.
The consultation also reinforced the need for accessible employment-related support within the community. In response, ECO-02 expanded employment support services aimed at assisting individuals at different stages of their professional journey.
Services include:
one-on-one employment guidance,
résumé and CV support,
interview preparation,
and job search assistance tailored to individual needs.
These initiatives represent early examples of how community feedback is already helping shape the development of programs and services that respond directly to the realities of English-speaking residents in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
Please note that the report is currently only available in french. We are diligently working on a translated version that will be available to all community members in the coming months.
