Home About News Canada Needs a National Literacy Strategy — Now More Than Ever

Canada Needs a National Literacy Strategy — Now More Than Ever

Sep. 05 2025

September 8 is International Literacy Day (ILD), a day to celebrate literacy, UNESCO declared the theme of this year’s ILD to be Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era. Because Literacy includes reading, writing, math skills, and digital literacy.

International Literacy Day exists, as UNESCO says, “to remind policy-makers, practitioners, and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.” In response, individuals and organizations from Canada’s literacy and learning sector are coming together in a National Literacy Alliance.

The National Literacy Alliance recommends the creation of a National Literacy Strategy to address recent findings from the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which report that one in five adults in Canada has difficulty with simple reading tasks.

More than 65 organizations have endorsed the Case, with representation from all 3 territories, 9 provinces, and First Nations and Inuit organizations.

At United for Literacy, we’ve seen how digital tools help overcome barriers like distance and time through online tutoring. But digital access isn't equal. Many Canadians lack the literacy or technical skills to even get online. UNESCO calls this “double marginalization”: being excluded from both traditional and digital learning.

Digitalization brings new risks:

online fraud,

misinformation,

surveillance,

reinforced biases,

and severe impact on the environment.

Strong literacy skills help people use critical thinking to navigate this landscape safely.

At United for Literacy, we promote literacy for all. This includes collaborating with community partners to create literacy programs that improve skills and build confidence for children, youth, and adults across the country. To find out what we’re doing in an area near you, please look on our website Programs page.

Case for a National Literacy Strategy Canada

The goal of the National Literacy Alliance is to make literacy more equitable, accessible, and reflective of the needs and strengths of people across the country. The National Literacy Strategy suggested by the Alliance requires the Government of Canada to expand the mandate of the Office of Skills for Success to include these concepts.

A deeper and specific investment in literacy aligns with the federal government’s commitment to creating a more robust, inclusive economy. Ideally, large-scale investment in education and lifelong learning will mean better, sustainable jobs for more people. Today’s jobs require digital skills. Whether it’s the ability to use a touch screen or knowing how to develop the back end of a national security system, computers and technology are everywhere. Canada needs a national commitment to lifelong and intergenerational learning to strengthen individual literacy, which in turn strengthens whole communities.

Download the Case

Workplace Literacy in the Digital Era 

Each year, United for Literacy hosts a national, free, online forum to discuss the connection between literacy and a topic of interest and importance. On October 23, a panel of literacy practitioners, employers, and experts will discuss Literacy and Future-Ready Skills: The Journey from Foundational Literacy to New Opportunities for Adult Learners in Canadian Workplaces. Be part of this exploration of the advantages of strong adult literacy levels and the economic benefits of improving literacy in Canada.

For some, workplace literacy means building the foundations, including the basics of decoding and comprehension. For others, it is becoming familiar with the kinds of everyday technology many take for granted: email, online forms, video platforms, social media, and more. And still for others, upskilling means learning new skills and/or staying up to date with rapidly changing technology to maintain their current role or to get a better position. United for Literacy’s adult literacy programs are customized to meet the learning goals of the people and communities we serve.

Literacy Advocacy in Canada

This year, United for Literacy has promoted the issue of literacy in the media and at in-person events, including representing the literacy sector during the Royal Visit in Ottawa.

We gained national visibility via articles in the Financial Post and Le Devoir as well as President and CEO, Mélanie Valcin’s appearance on the Insight is Capital podcast. United for Literacy adopted its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan highlighting the importance of high-impact literacy initiatives that focus on reading and writing, numeracy, digital, and financial literacy skills development as well as English or French as an additional language. For individuals participating in these programs, the benefits include greater education and career opportunities, improved health and well-being, and the confidence that comes with learning new skills. Join the conversation about the advantages of strong adult literacy levels and the economic benefits of improving literacy in Canada at United for Literacy’s upcoming online national forum: Literacy and Future-Ready Skills.

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