I think the qualitative aspect could be incorporated based on part IV of the Official Languages Act. Some elements of the act can provide food for thought in terms of when and how to further increase the number of these businesses across Canada, in each province and territory.
Based on my reading of it, a formula was used to calculate the number of francophones in relation to a region's overall population. I don't think that's enough. I think the UFPBA points out that there are other aspects that could be incorporated into how we determine which regions have a strong francophone presence. It doesn't take into account the vitality of the communities, their specificity or their size.
Let's take the example of the greater Toronto area, or GTA. The number of francophones who live in the GTA indicates that there is a significant presence of francophones and private businesses in the GTA. Ideally, it should be considered a region with a strong francophone presence.