A new free employment service for francophone and bilingual job seekers officially arrived in Kensington on June 17, 2026, during a Caffeine Connections networking event at the Haunted Mansion. Emmanuelle Camara, the Provincial Navigator for the PEI Employment Support Service, met with local business leaders to explain how the program can help residents polish resumes, practice interviews, and get matched with employers.
Camara was joined by Raymond J. Arsenault, Communications Manager for RDÉE ÎPÉ and Manager of the Acadian and Francophone Chamber of Commerce of PEI. They sat down with Julie Corbett, Executive Director of the Kensington & Area Chamber of Commerce, and Haunted Mansion owner John Davison. The message was simple: the service helps job seekers write resumes, get ready for interviews, and prepare for work, while Camara acts as a “matchmaker” connecting those clients to employers who need staff.
The Employment Support Service, called SAE for short, is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and refugees. It focuses on people who speak French or are bilingual, but employers do not need to be francophone to use it. The service is completely free and already has three customer service officers working directly with clients. Camara, who joined RDÉE ÎPÉ in September 2025, is touring the province to spread the word.
Kensington’s growing population makes these resources particularly timely. The town has swelled from around 1,300 people in 2009 to a projected 2,400 by the end of this year. More residents mean more people looking for work, and local businesses will also need help finding the right employees. Corbett and the Kensington & Area Chamber of Commerce agreed to share details of the service with their members right away.
After the Kensington stop, Camara and Arsenault traveled to Summerside to meet with Mitch Martin, Executive Director of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce. Both chambers have now committed to working with RDÉE ÎPÉ and the SAE team to run one or two joint events this fall. Those sessions will give local business owners and job hunters a direct look at how the free employment support can work for them.
