Advocacy - MCIS Language Solutions

Language Advocacy Day 2026

Language Advocacy Day is an annual event dedicated to promoting and protecting language rights, linguistic diversity, and equitable access to language services in Canada. It brings together advocates, policymakers, educators, and community leaders to:

Raise Awareness about the importance of language rights and multilingualism.
Engage in Advocacy for policies that support official languages, Indigenous languages, and language access for newcomers.
Celebrate Diversity by highlighting the cultural and social value of languages in Canadian society.

What is happening in LAD 2026?

Innovation Challenge

This challenge uses SPROUT’s case challenge model to tackle real-world language advocacy issues. Teams will work together to design practical, innovative solutions that break down language barriers in public services.

Who Can Join?

We’re inviting students, community members, educators, nonprofit workers, policymakers, and youth to form cross-sector teams. By combining policy knowledge, hands-on experience, and fresh ideas, we aim to create solutions that treat language rights as fundamental human rights.

Challenge Overview

Why It Matters?

Language access is essential for equity and inclusion.

Your ideas can help:
• Improve access to healthcare, education, and justice
• Promote fairness and innovation
• Advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals

What Will You Do?

Each team will focus on one solution design.

Examples include:
• Blueprints for municipalities or health regions to implement federal language rights
• Community governance models with actionable recommendations
• Pilot projects in technology, training, or services to improve local language access

Language Access as a Public Good

Language access is not a privilege but a fundamental right and a shared societal responsibility. It frames language services as essential for equity, inclusion, and participation in public life:

Healthcare
Education
Other Public Goods

Hosted by the Language Access Coalition of Canada (LACC) and proudly sponsored by MCIS Language Solutions, this year’s highlight is the Language Advocacy Innovation Challenge—a unique competition designed to spark creativity and collaboration.

Past Winners

First Prize: Documenting Historical Kanyen’kehá Landscape Knowledge

The biggest prize of $10,000 has been awarded to Documenting Historical Kanyen’kehá:ka Landscape Knowledge, led by Rebekah R. Ingram and Thohahènte, Geolinguistics. Their project is dedicated to preserving and documenting the linguistic, cultural, ecological, and historical knowledge of the Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) people’s traditional landscapes.

Using earth observation technologies and the Nunaliit mapping platform, the team captures multimedia information paired with stories from first-language speakers to create a comprehensive Atlas for cultural, historical, and educational purposes. It aims to support language and cultural revitalization and ensure that this vital Indigenous Knowledge is passed down to future generations.

Second Prize: Newcomer Info Hub

The second prize of $5,000 is awarded to the Newcomer Info Hub project by Refugee 613 and led by the very talented Eva Boakye. This project ensures that essential settlement information is accessible to the newcomers who need it most, aiding their integration into Canadian society.

Syria’s crisis drew the world’s attention to refugees everywhere. In Ottawa, many volunteers, sponsors and community agencies surged forward to help. But knowledge of existing settlement services was limited, pathways to participation weren’t always clear, and people struggled to find the information they wanted. At the same time, the realities and diversity of the refugee journey were complex and not widely known. Too often, the best intentions still resulted in frustration.

Third Prize: Improving Healthcare through Language Accessibility

The last, but certainly not the least, microgrant of $5,000 has been awarded to Dr. Sukhmeet Singh Sachal for his innovative project, “Improving Healthcare through Language Accessibility.” This initiative, based in London, Ontario, addresses a critical challenge in the healthcare system: ensuring that patients from diverse linguistic backgrounds can access care without barriers.

The project aims to enhance language accessibility in hospitals through a combination of digital and on-site campaigns.

By combining technology with practical, in-person solutions, the initiative aims to empower healthcare providers and patients alike, fostering trust and improving health outcomes.

Events, Initiatives And Community

Advocacy & Parthnership

International Journal of Information Diversity

Hackathons As Instruments
For Settlement Sector Innovation

This case study presents a practitioner’s perspective on the outcomes of two community hackathons.

Support Language Advocacy
Day 2021!

Inspired by over 40 years of continuous effort by the Joint National Committee for Languages.

Free Translation through MCIS Social Benefit Fund

The Indigenous Community Project connected newcomers to Canada with Indigenous communities with a universal medium – art. Supported by our Social Benefit Fund, MCIS Language Solutions assisted this project by providing free translation of print materials.