Literacy BC is an independent, non-partisan, membership-based, registered not-for-profit organisation. We have been promoting and supporting literacy and lifelong learning in British Columbia since 1990 by:

• supporting adult learners and their families
• promoting innovation in practice
• raising public awareness
• building capacity
• partnering in policy development

Here is a convenient reference sheet detailing our main services to the literacy field in the province (PDF).

Literacy BC's Annual Reports are available on-line here.

Why We Do What We Do

Literacy matters enormously for inclusion and prosperity in BC. Better literacy skills improve employment prospects and income, reduce dependence on social assistance, promote health, and reduce criminal offending. They help integrate immigrants into the workforce, and society at large. They promote participation in civic society. They raise productivity, and are crucial for capturing and sustaining the knowledge advantage as the labour market evolves. Literacy skills help people achieve their many goals.

But around 40% of adults in BC do not have the literacy skills they need to achieve their goals, to function and thrive in the modern economy, and to develop their knowledge and potential (International Adult Literacy & Skills Survey, 2003). That means over one million people are underequipped to cope with society's increasing informational demands.

The literacy shortfall has a profound impact on BC's socio-economic fabric. And recent reliable projections of BC's literacy levels in the future indicate that the numbers of people with poor literacy skills will grow, absent a concerted effort by us all.

Strategic Plan 2007-2010 (PDF)