News Media
Highlights of La Passerelle-I.D.É.'s Presence in the Canadian Media
Choq FM
October 20, 2025
A look back at the journey of African refugees in Canada with Léonie Tchatat
United Way, in partnership with the City of Toronto, has developed a research report entitled "Understanding the Experience of African Refugees," following the situation of African refugees forced to sleep outdoors due to a lack of space in Toronto shelters last year.
Léonie Tchatat, founder and executive director of La Passerelle-I.D.É. and former commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, was part of the advisory committee that contributed to this report. Today, she discusses it with Yasmina Dagry, outlining the key findings and major issues revealed by this study.
Le Métropolitain
May 21, 2025
Black women entrepreneurs want to be at the center of economic policies
Following the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, which took place from April 14 to 17 at the United Nations in New York, leaders from various sectors of politics, business and civil society gathered at Toronto's Reyna restaurant on May 13, 2025 for a strategic discussion to reflect on how to improve the lot of Black women entrepreneurs as global drivers of inclusion and growth at the Canadian economic level.
Choq FM
May 16, 2025
L'Agapanthe, Toronto's new centre for African refugees
Choq FM presents “L'Agapanthe - Maison de transition de La Passerelle-I.D.É.”, the very first francophone transition home in Ontario for francophone African refugees in Toronto.
Le Métropolitain
May 10, 2025
La Passerelle-I.D.É. opens a Francophone transition house
In front of its administrators, funders and partners, La Passerelle-I.D.É. announced the opening of L'Agapanthe, the first Francophone transition house in Toronto, a temporary accommodation place with 50 places offering African refugees essential housing and complete support to settle in the country.
Le Métropolitain
October 26, 2024
Résolutions2024: New technologies enter the debate
From October 15 to 17, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, La Passerelle I.D.É. presented its second edition of the conference Résolutions2024: Overcoming Racism Together. This bilingual conference, themed "Emerging Technologies and the Fight Against Racism," provided an opportunity to discuss current issues related to the impact of digital technology in the fight against systemic racism.
Le Métropolitain
May 21, 2024
La Passerelle-I.D.É. gets recognized by the City of Toronto
La Passerelle-I.D.É., represented by its Executive Director Léonie Tchatat, was honoured on May 16 at the 2024 Awards Gala, among 25 recipients, in the presence of several dignitaries including Mayor Olivia Chow, city councillors, the President and CEO of United Way of Greater Toronto, Daniele Zanotti, and numerous association leaders. This prestigious recognition has historically been reserved for English-language institutions.
Le Métropolitain
March 9, 2024
The Passerelle-I.D.É. initiates dialogue against racism
A first of its kind initiated by the Call to Action Against Racism advisory committee of La Passerelle-I.D.É.: MP Guy Bourgouin welcomed young Black people to Queens Park on February 26, as part of a Youth Resolutions parliamentary day in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont and a representation of all political parties, including the leader of the official opposition, Marit Stiles.
ONFR - TFO
December 14, 2023
2023 in Southwestern Ontario: Between environmental scandal and space exploration
La Passerelle-I.D.É. is consulted on the issue of the African refugee crisis in Toronto in the ONFR-TFO 2023 year-end report
Le Métropolitain
January 28, 2021
Food and hygiene product vouchers for 200 Black Francophone families
La Passerelle-I.D.É., in partnership with OCASI, recently announced new funding from United Way to offer Francophone Black families in racialized communities affected by COVID-19 virtual group counselling activities and culturally adapted monthly dance evenings to provide them with a sense of dignity.
Le Métropolitain
March 14, 2018
Tribute to the female entrepreneur
Many events in the Francophone community celebrated International Women's Day and, on March 10, it was the turn of The Afropolitan Week of Fashion and Arts, Perle Noire Entertainment and Collège Boréal.
This was a moment for all these women to connect and openly discuss their journeys. "We are celebrating women in all their splendor," said Loanna Thomaseau, one of the two organizers of the event.
Le Métropolitain
November 28, 2017
Over $50 million to support non-profit projects
On Wednesday, November 22, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Eleanor McMahon, announced the winners of the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Growth Grant component.
In total, 145 projects will benefit from this grant, 134 of which will be funded through the FTO's "Growth Investment Source." The remaining projects will receive "Collective Impact Grants." The province will invest approximately $50 million to fund these non-profit projects.
Le Métropolitain
March 13, 2017
Léonie Tchatat, Ontario's new Human Rights Commissioner
Léonie Tchatat, founder and CEO of La Passerelle-I.D.É, has been appointed to the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). In her role as commissioner, Ms. Tchatat will work alongside other commissioners in pursuing the OHRC's mission.

















