There really is a critical mass of students who study in a francophone environment. In other regions of the country, even elsewhere in Ontario, that same critical mass does not exist.
In its intervention, the federal government recognizes that that same critical mass does not exist everywhere, and that can create certain challenges for education. That's often linked to the distance that must be covered, but also to extracurricular activities and programs, since there are sometimes not enough volunteers to support them.
Is that the case in Ottawa? Is support needed? You spoke of the necessity of obtaining federal government support, but I would imagine that there is no lack of will on the part of the provincial government to adequately fund French-language education.