OP-ED: Amid economic uncertainty, Canada must make literacy a national priority

When we think of economic growth and resilience, we often focus on innovation, trade, or technology. Rarely do we consider literacy as a national priority. And yet, the ability to read, write, understand numbers, and solve problems in our technologically rich environment remains one of the most powerful tools we have to build a stronger and more equitable Canada.

The 2024 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) revealed that one in five working-age adults in Canada struggles with basic reading tasks. That’s millions of Canadians facing barriers every day. These are not just statistics. These are parents trying to help their children with schoolwork, workers wanting to understand safety instructions, voters reading ballots, and everyday people managing their finances.

The PIAAC results were released quietly last December, receiving little attention, but they should concern us all. While Canada performs above average globally, the findings reveal a troubling truth. Our literacy gap not only persists, it has widened over the past decade. Nearly 20 per cent of Canadian adults to continue facing barriers to fully participating in society. I, for one, refuse to accept that.

I recently attended the 2025 World Literacy Summit in Oxford, UK, where literacy leaders, educators, and advocates gathered to share new practices, challenge old assumptions, and commit to action. After connecting with literacy champions from all over the world, I am returning inspired, energized, and filled with hope for what is possible.

As Canada faces inflation, global uncertainty, and rapid technological change, the skills we often take for granted are the most critical for our collective resilience. Without strong foundational skills, people are more likely to experience unemployment, economic hardship, and exclusion from opportunities that many of us consider basic.

The consequences are not just personal. They affect the entire country. Research shows that increasing literacy levels by just one percent could boost Canada’s gross domestic product by more than $50 billion and raise national productivity by five per cent (CanWest Foundation, 2018). That is transformative.

Literacy is also a matter of social equity. The gap between those with strong literacy skills and those without often reflects deeper inequalities. Age, income level, education history, language, immigration status, and access to services all shape someone’s ability to learn.

This is why literacy must be part of our conversation about inclusion, equal opportunity, and prosperity.

At United for Literacy, we see this reality every day. We meet people who are determined to learn and contribute, but who have been left behind by systems that were never built with them in mind. One of our learners, Tricia, told us, “I want to learn carpentry so I can fix things in my home. I want to help others discover books and feel better. I want to show others they can learn new things too.”

We are calling on all levels of government to recognize literacy as a foundational part of economic development and civic engagement strategies. We urge them to invest in community-based programs that reach those most affected by educational and economic inequality.

We are calling on employers to invest in essential skills training and to see literacy development not as a cost, but as a long-term benefit for workers, businesses and the entire economy. We are also calling on individuals to talk about this issue.

To understand that literacy is not just an early start in life, but a foundation for lifelong learning and participation in our society. Recognizing that it is never too late to learn, and never too early to care. Canada has a choice to make. We can continue to ignore this quiet crisis. Or we can decide that every person in this country deserves equal access to the transformative power of literacy for future opportunities and prosperity.

Literacy must be a national priority. In Canada. Around the world. For everyone. And the time is now.

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