Build Canada's Literacy Foundation

Summary

Literacy – the ability to read and write – has arguably been the single most important tool for creating prosperity over the last several hundred years. Not only has it helped spur economic growth, it has alleviated inequality through everything from female empowerment to informed civic participation. Canada has made great progress towards universal literacy but there are still millions of Canadians who remain functionally illiterate.

This is a tragedy for those unable to achieve as much as they could in their careers and lives, it is also a significant financial burden for the country. A 1% improvement could grow the economy by $67 billion¹.

To make progress the single most important time to improve literacy rates is before Grade 4. This is a critical period for development and the skills gained at this age have the longest lasting impact on a person's abilities. But right now Canada is failing these students. 1 in 4 Canadian children miss reading goals by Grade 3² and by High School almost 15% of children lack the basic reading skills needed to thrive in the modern world³.

The good news is that small changes can lead to massive improvements. Teaching literacy is well understood and many countries have made huge strides through targeted phonics training, increasing reading time, and coaching teachers on how best to improve literacy. By learning from these approaches we can transform our early childhood education.

Are Canadians literate?

Canada achieved its modern prosperity through widespread literacy. Public education systems established in the 1800s helped turn a mostly illiterate population into one of the world's most educated workforces. However, today’s surface level statistics of “99%” foundational literacy and the outstanding success of Canada’s top higher education and research institutions mask serious issues that remain in basic education.

To understand the state of literacy in Canada, we need to understand how literacy is assessed. Literacy is not a binary where a person is either literate or not, instead it has many grades. One of the most common assessments for literacy is from the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). They look at literacy based on 5 levels.

Today, almost a fifth of the population – about 5 million working-age Canadians – only have the lowest levels of literacy below a level 3, meaning they struggle with very basic tasks like understanding prescription labels or workplace instructions⁴. 

The economic impact of this is huge. Research suggests that increasing Canada's average literacy by 1% would generate an increase in GDP per capita, equivalent to $67 billion⁵. If you think about literacy as the most important foundational skill for modern work this relationship makes sense. It is also borne out by the data. Canadians with lower literacy levels have lower incomes and over half of unemployed Canadians score below level 3⁶.

Literacy problems start early and compound quickly. Early childhood is the most critical period for development, and especially skills learned before Grade 4 are known to have a lifelong impact. But, a large number of Canadian children enter Grade 1 lacking key skills needed for reading and this persists to Grade 3, where 1 in 4 can't read at the expected level⁷. Children who aren't reading proficiently by Grade 3 rarely catch up, creating a cascade of academic, employment and life challenges.

Students living in low-socioeconomic communities are disproportionately impacted by these issues. A child raised in a literacy rich environment, read to from 5 books per day, will arrive at kindergarten having heard 1.4 million more words than their peers were never or seldom read to⁸. In middle-income communities, thanks to plentiful bookstores and libraries each child can on average expect to have access to over 13 age-appropriate books. In contrast, on average there is only 1 age-appropriate book for every 300 children in communities of concentrated poverty⁹. The impacts of this discrepancy are long-lasting and compound over time. 

The good news is these problems have solutions (see the Existing Solutions section below). The common elements include evidence-based instruction methods, extensive teacher training and coaching, protected time for reading instruction, regular student screening and intervention, and strong accountability systems.

Although it has national consequences, education is unequivocally a provincial responsibility. The federal government can play a part in helping to assess and publicize the current state of literacy as Statcan has done with prior PIAAC results. But, the primary changes need to be made by each province.

Some provinces like Ontario have identified the problem. The Ontario Human Rights Commission's "Right to Read" inquiry exposed systematic gaps¹⁰. Many schools weren't using evidence-based reading methods such as systematic phonics or allotting enough time to literacy. Other provinces like Alberta have already started to make the needed changes including creating an updated curriculum that added phonics instruction in 2022¹¹. 

Canada has the knowledge, resources, and provincial education systems to implement these reforms. What's missing is coordinated action across federal and provincial governments, political will, sustained and adequate funding, and public understanding that early literacy is a form of economic infrastructure, as critical as roads or broadband.

There is real urgency to getting this right. The world is changing with AI. Geoff Hinton has noted that the best way to prepare Canadian young people for the AI world coming is to “teach critical thinking in schools,”¹² and we know that strong literacy is key to critical thinking. 

87% of Canadians believe more should be done to improve literacy rates¹³. Parents want their children to succeed. Teachers want effective training and tools. The examples of what it takes to improve literacy are clear. Now, we just need to follow them.

Existing Solutions

Mississippi's Literacy-Based Promotion Act (2013) combined systematic phonics instruction, literacy coaching for teachers, and grade retention policies with intensive support. The result was that 4th-grade reading scores jumped from almost last place nationally to 21st place¹⁴, with proficiency rising from 21% to 27% in only four years¹⁵.

Ireland's National Literacy Strategy (2011-2020) set ambitious targets, increased daily reading instruction time, trained teachers in evidence-based methods, and strengthened school-home partnerships¹⁶. Irish 15-year-olds rose to 3rd place among OECD countries in reading literacy¹⁷.

Poland's Education System Reform (1999) implemented a new reading-focused curriculum, and dramatically increased language instruction time. Polish students achieved 35-point PISA reading gains¹⁸, with previously low-performing students improving over 100 points¹⁹.

England’s Commitment to School Libraries (2025): This year, England has committed to building school libraries in 1,700 primary schools, pledging £132.5m to the initiative. In addition to this financial commitment, they have announced that 2026 will be their National Year of Reading to tackle the fact that just a third (32.7%) of children and young people say they enjoy reading – the lowest recorded level in 20 years²⁰. 

What Must Be Done

Canada needs bold provincial plans to transform literacy outcomes birth to grade 6: 

These reforms are proven to work. The exact approach will differ by province depending on existing curriculums, but these are some of the ways it could manifest.

Normalize reading from birth to Grade 3. Provinces can help parents to make at home environments more supportive for literacy. This means investing in programs to make books more available with mail-to-home book programs for all children up to age 5 alongside enhanced classroom library refresh cycles. Alongside education and messaging created in partnership with public health agencies to promote Read Sing Speak²¹ approaches from birth and at least "15 minutes of daily reading". 

Mandate evidence-based early reading instruction. Provincial education ministries should require systematic phonics instruction in grades K-2 combined with regular screening and progress monitoring to identify children in need of greater intervention. To make sure teachers are able to effectively teach these approaches certification should include coursework on phonics and the science of reading. To support teachers the provinces should create coaching programs modeled on the success in Mississippi to ensure high standards.

Protect daily foundational literacy time. Provincial regulations should mandate increased time for literacy instruction in grades K-3. They should strive to achieve the almost 80 minutes a day of literacy training achieved in Ireland²². This includes reading, writing, oral language development, and play-based literacy experiences with additional support for children based on reading differences. This will mean tradeoffs with other learning objectives. However, given the essential nature of literacy to outcomes over an entire lifetime it is the right approach. 

Ensure all children have access to book-rich environments. Provincial governments should invest in school and community libraries to close the book access gap. Education ministries should establish minimum standards requiring every elementary school to maintain a library with at least 20 books per student, refreshed annually to keep collections current and appealing. When children see themselves reflected in books and have easy access to stories that capture their imagination, reading becomes a source of joy rather than a chore.

Common Questions

Isn't education a provincial responsibility? Yes, education is exclusively provincial jurisdiction under the Constitution. Ottawa can help coordinate research, share best practices, and run national assessments. But ultimately, provincial premiers and education ministers will determine how Canadian children learn to read.

How can provinces implement new requirements when teachers are already overwhelmed? Successful reforms like Mississippi's actually made teaching easier by providing clear, evidence-based methods and proper support. Teachers want effective tools and training. The current approach of leaving teachers to figure out reading instruction individually is what's overwhelming. Systematic approaches with proven materials and ongoing support reduce teacher stress while improving outcomes.

Will phonics-focused instruction harm students' love of reading or ignore diverse learning needs? Research shows systematic phonics instruction helps all students, including those with learning differences, develop strong foundational skills that make reading enjoyable rather than frustrating. Phonics instruction is combined with rich literature, vocabulary development, and comprehension strategies. Students who can decode fluently are more likely to become lifelong readers because reading becomes accessible rather than a struggle.

Conclusion

Canada should be rightfully proud of its history of promoting literacy but there is so much more that could be done. Nearly half of adults are not achieving the highest levels of literacy. 1 in 4 Grade 3 students can't read at grade level. This has a huge human and economic toll.

The good news is that solutions are clear. Evidence-based early reading instruction, protected literacy time, trained teachers, and book-rich environments can transform outcomes. Mississippi, Ireland, and Poland prove dramatic improvement is possible through coordinated reform efforts.

Provincial implementation of systematic phonics instruction, daily literacy blocks, and comprehensive book access, will transform Canada's literacy foundation so that it can achieve its potential. 

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