Chateauguay Valley English Speaking People's Association

Since 1983 the Chateauguay Valley English Speaking People's Association (CVESPA) has been active in Southwest Quebec. Based in Huntingdon, our territory stretches from the Richelieu River westward through the MRC Haut St. Laurent. Major towns are Lacolle, Valleyfield, Hemmingford, Ormstown, Huntingdon, Hudson, and Chateauguay. We serve urban and rural communities, each with its own needs and resources. CVESPA's activities are made possible through Canadian Heritage funding under the Development of Official-Language Communities Program.		CVESPA was originally conceived to defend the rights of anglophones, the minority linguistic population of Quebec. We continue to represent the community at all levels of government, helping to resolve complaints concerning English language services. But nearly three decades since the anglophone exodus from Quebec began, our main focus has turned to community-building and "partnershipping". The preservation of the English-speaking community and its culture is important and our activities in this regard are driven through community input.
Strategic Plan		Cultural -Identity

Our Strategic Plan states that we will offer strong leadership, be accessible, encourage open dialogue, be inclusive and work with the French speaking community. We will involve youth. We will create critical mass through membership and network with other groups.

We strive to strengthen the cultural identity of the English speaking community and ensure the preservation of its heritage. Just as our ancestors helped each other build roads, barns and churches, our accomplishments will come from working together.

	"We will be known for what we do rather than for what we say we will do."
Neil Burdon, Executive Director