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The federal government is committing nearly $2 million to keep hopes for L’Université de l’Ontario alive even though the provincial government has cancelled funding for the project.

“We will always be there for the Franco-Ontarian community as a partner for the French University of Ontario,” said Mélanie Joly, whose cabinet portfolio includes official languages.

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“We just approved $1.9 million to support the work done by the team currently in place up to January 2020.”

Funding for the L’Université de l’Ontario français was set to expire Jan. 15 — meaning staff would be laid off — “jeopardizing the preparatory work already completed,” Joly wrote to Caroline Mulroney, the province’s minister of francophone affairs, adding that she was concerned about the impact on Franco-Ontarians.

Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MPP Amanda Simard — who left the PC government to sit as an Independent in November over the province’s treatment of francophone issues, which included eliminating an independent office of the French-language services commissioner and funding for the planned university — tweeted that it was “great news” and that she was “proud to be able to count on our federal government to support the franco(phone) community.”