Trois-Pistoles Mayor Philippe Guilbert has launched a petition to bring back Western University’s French Immersion program in 2025. The program, in which Western students stay with homestay hosts in Trois-Pistoles, was paused and placed under review for 2024. “It’s a part of the community,” said Guilbert. “We have hundreds of students from Ontario that come here each summer, so it brings great social and economic impacts and is a big benefit for Trois-Pistoles.” The program, which CBC says is considered Canada’s oldest French immersion homestay program, has faced challenges related to minimum enrolment, financial compensation, and retiring host families. Guilbert plans to submit the petition to Western to include in its ongoing program review, which is expected to be prepared by the spring.