The ‘Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ),’ under the leadership of the Chief Scientist, are pleased to learn that federal research funding agencies in the United States will now require peer-reviewed publications to be made immediately open access. This is a major endorsement of open access in North America, given that the funding agencies that joined the immediate open access movement were predominantly located in Europe. The FRQ joined the cOAlition S in 2021 and changed its policy this year to require immediate open access to scientific publications for researchers (and students who receive a training excellence award). A harmonized open access framework is beneficial to the research ecosystem and sends a consistent and clear message to researchers and society about the value of open science practices of government funded projects. The addition of the United States as a proactive supporter is bound to have a significant effect on many organizations and countries that are still somewhat reluctant to join open science locomotive, which is on the move, and unstoppable(!), since the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science last fall. In Quebec, science is developed in a French-speaking environment. As we are redesigning the model of scientific knowledge dissemination, the FRQ is a strong supporter of including the richness of multilingual science to explain data and results most clearly to all stakeholders from government officials to citizens. Supporting a better and more equitable access to scientific knowledge, also requires embracing the diversity of languages by which it is being developed and transmitted. 

Such a multi-linguistic approach needs to be included in the infrastructure development that will support the whole endeavour, for open science to fulfil its promise. Here in Quebec, we are committed to these values, and we are proud to add that the International Network on Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) will announce very soon the creation of an international French network on science advice in which open science will be an essential element.