As a first world nation competing in a knowledge-based global economy, a highly skilled workforce and highly literate population is key to success. With literacy and essential skills training impacting economic prosperity, civic participation, children’s education, poverty, crime rates, individual health and much more, literacy rates in Ontario and Canada are worrisome.

As a first world nation competing in a knowledge-based global economy, a highly skilled workforce and highly literate population is key to success. With literacy and essential skills training impacting economic prosperity, civic participation, children’s education, poverty, crime rates, individual health and much more, literacy rates in Ontario and Canada are worrisome.

In Ontario...

• In Ontario, 30% of the population (15 years or age and older) have less than a high school education
• Over 65% of those with low literacy are of prime working age (26-55)
• There are over 1.5 million immigrants in Ontario with literacy issues
• There are 350 adult literacy and upgrading programs working across the province to offer Literacy and Basic Skills training to 50,000 Ontarians each year
• Without the basic literacy and numeracy skills necessary, workers will struggle to meet the increasing expectations of complex workplaces and Ontario’s changing economy
• Ontario’s business sector will lose their competitive edge without well-trained workers

In Canada...

• Almost half of all Canadian adults (48%) have low literacy skills
• 55% of working age adults in Canada are estimated to have less than adequate health literacy skills. Shockingly, 88% of adults over the age of 65 appear to be in this situation
• Impoverished adults often do not have the literacy skills required to get into job training programs. They may need literacy skills upgrading before they can succeed in training programs but only about 5 - 10% of eligible adults enroll in programs
• Less than 20% of people with the lowest literacy skills are unemployed
• A 1% increase in the literacy rate would generate $18 billion in economic growth every year
• Investment in literacy programming has a 241% return on investment

The statistics are clear: a long-term and meaningful investment in adult literacy in Ontario and Canada must be made.

To learn more, here are some further resources:

Canadian Council on Learning – Reading the Future
Reading the Future is the first report of its kind in Canada. It provides Canada's first projections of adult literacy levels, through to 2031; an unprecedented look—more detailed than ever before—at the “face” of low literacy; and effective approaches to improve literacy among six identified groups.

International Adult Literacy Survey Database
Hosted by Statistics Canada, this interactive data tool permits users to retrieve a wide range of literacy data for a number of countries.

Measuring Adult Literacy and Life Skills - International Adult Literacy Survey
Read the latest IALS report published in May 2005 on adult literacy and life skills.

Statistics Canada
Search the Statistics Canada database in English or French for literacy statistics and facts.

Literacy and Basic Skills/Academic Upgrading is a made-in-Ontario approach to literacy programming. In 2007-2008, 51,000 learners received Literacy and Basic Skills or Academic Upgrading training services in 350 program sites that are based in community, school board, and college settings across the province.

Literacy and Basic Skills/Academic Upgrading is a made-in-Ontario approach to literacy programming. In 2007-2008, 51,000 learners received Literacy and Basic Skills or Academic Upgrading training services in 350 program sites that are based in community, school board, and college settings across the province.

Below are some descriptions and statistics regarding programming and learners across Ontario taken from the OLC’s groundbreaking report, Literacy in Ontario.

Descriptions of International Literacy Levels
Short descriptions of the ‘literacy levels’ – a method of categorizing an individual’s ability to perform day to day activities - used in many of the following statistics.

Literacy Levels of Ontarians
What are the literacy levels of Ontarians? How do these levels correlate with levels of educational attainment and immigration and employment statuses?

Characteristics of Learners in Ontario
Who attends literacy programs? What is their gender, age and source of income?

Exit and Follow-Up Statistics
How many learners reach the goals they set when they entered the program? What are the employment statistics of learners who complete literacy programs?

The OLC has produced the first and only cross-sectoral literacy data published in the province – Literacy in Ontario. Working in conjunction with cultural streams, regional and sectoral networks, the OLC was able to produce reliable and timely data on the current state of Literacy in Ontario by integrating each region’s Literacy Service Planning reports.

The OLC has produced the first and only cross-sectoral literacy data published in the province – Literacy in Ontario. Working in conjunction with cultural streams, regional and sectoral networks, the OLC was able to produce reliable and timely data on the current state of Literacy in Ontario by integrating each region’s Literacy Service Planning reports.

Download Literacy in Ontario