Gaston stands before us and proudly sports a shirt bearing the text ‘905 Niagara’. He purchased it from Mixedstyles, a place owned by his graphic designer friend who creates Niagara branded apparel. Gaston is so proud of his hometown that he literally wears it on his sleeve.
As a child, Gaston immigrated from the Republic of Congo to Canada. His family wanted a safe and peaceful place to call home, and they soon found that Niagara had everything they were looking for.
But as a Francophone family, one of the biggest perks of the region was the vibrant and thriving Francophone community they discovered here. Gaston’s children are able to attend French schools and he’s been able to connect with other Francophone families in the region.
Because of this, his children can speak to their grandmother in her mother tongue, which delights them both.
Gaston has fond memories of growing up in the region and with a successful career as a machinist in the skilled trades, he’s able to give his kids a great life here too.
The Niagara region has over 10 Francophone public and Catholic schools and offers French immersion programs in many of its elementary and secondary schools.