ABC Life Literacy Canada

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To be literate means that you have the skills to understand what you read, communicate with others and engage fully and confidently in life’s activities and opportunities – at work, at home and in the community. Literacy is a tool that opens up a world of opportunities to an individual. It is also something that many of us take for granted. Unfortunately, millions of adult Canadians struggle with literacy challenges.

ABC Life Literacy Canada believes in the importance of lifelong and life-wide literacy and learning: the skills that all adults need to live their lives and the new skills adults need to acquire throughout their life.

For more information about Adult Literacy, view Adult Literacy Facts and Statistics.

Download tips and activities to help improve your literacy skills.

For more information on ABC Life Literacy Canada's adult literacy programs, view Programs and Initiatives or contact your provincial literacy coalition.

Literacy Definition

Literacy is defined as "the ability to understand and employ printed information in daily activities at home, at work and in the community - to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential." (*Literacy Skills for the Knowledge Society: Further Results from the International Adult Literacy Survey*, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Human Resources Development Canada and the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, 1997).