ESL programs in Canada first became widespread as a result of

Answer 1

the introduction of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, which stipulated that all citizens have the right to receive their education in either official language of Canada (English or French) and also recognized the importance of multiculturalism in Canadian society. With this mandate, many schools and communities began to develop ESL programs to support the growing number of students who spoke a language other than English or French at home. Additionally, Canada's immigration policies that welcomed new immigrants from diverse cultural backgrounds further fueled the need for ESL programs in schools across the country.