After a long and difficult decade of static funding, literacy programs in Ontario are set to receive an injection of $90 million over the next two years.
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan announced the additional funding for literacy and basic skills programming in the Ontario Budget 2009, released on March 26, 2009. The funding also re-introduced an emphasis on workplace literacy, an important focus for the province as it moves through these turbulent economic times.
The OLC was invited to attend the budget lock-up and OLC Executive Director, Lesley Brown, was able to ask questions of public officials and Ministry staff in advance of the Finance Minister’s speech.
The OLC will keep on top of this issue as it develops and we will be sure to keep you posted.
For more information on the LBS funding increase and refocus on workplace literacy, please see the following:
- OLC Press Release – Ontario Literacy Coalition welcomes Government of Ontario New Investment in Adult Literacy Training
- Full Details of the Ontario Budget – Ontario Budget 2009
The Ontario Literacy Coalition worked in partnership with their Public Relations Committee to raise literacy and basic skills as a priority in meeting the growing demands for training and skills development within the province.
Members of the Ontario Literacy Coalition’s Public Relations Committee:
AlphaPlus Centre
Coalition ontarienne de formation des adultes
Deaf Literacy Initiative (DLI)
E- Channel Strategy
Laubach Literacy Ontario
Literacy Link Niagara
Literacy Northwest
Ontario Literacy Coalition
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo-Wellington
PTP (Adult Learning and Employment Programs)
QUILL Learning Network
Also consulted with:
CESBA
College Sector Committee
Community Literacy of Ontario
March 27, 2009 at 6:30 pm
This was certainly not the news i was hoping for. we have already made a case for our need for long term sustainable funding. Now we are told we have two years to make our case and are presented with more hoops to jump through. If your interpretation is correct, I am so angry I could cry. When will I be able to do the job of helping people achieve their learning goals instead of constantly chasing dollars to keep my organizatin afloat. If you are right this is not good news but just another and very deep disappointment. We need core money now!
April 2, 2009 at 9:13 pm
On behalf of the Learners, Staff and Board of Directors of the Peterborough Native Learning Program I want to express gratitude for the way in which your organizations have lobbied on behalf of the community based literacy programs for a long overdue increase in funding. I attended a meeting a couple of weeks ago (Second Career info sharing) and Robert Dupuis, our Regional Manager, and a name well known to LBS, was able to come. The subject of funding to address the influx of numbers, of course, came up. He stated that the funding increase campaign had been conducted in a very respectful manner and that he was pleased to be connected to a field that has done outstanding work consistently despite financial duress. I wanted to pass on that compliment.
I have worked in the field since 1995 and in January of this year, upon hearing that we had another status quo funding year ahead of us, announced to my Board that the best I could do was to stay in my position for the remainder of the year and part of the next as I /had/ to seek a new job. I just couldn’t see myself working relentlessly seeking sources of funding to keep the doors open for LBS any longer than that, if I wanted to keep my sanity and physical health! As the story goes for many of us longterm LBS workers, it has cost me dearly to do this work, wayyyyy beyond what I had imagined.
Once again, thank you for the way in which you brought forward this ongoing and at times, crippling, issue for small agencies. Although the recent announcement does not speak to sustainable funding for our programs, it is the most encouraging piece of news about funding that I’ve seen yet!
With renewed hope,
chi meegwetch,
pat powell owen
April 3, 2009 at 3:44 am
I am a learner who is very happy to see the government begin to fund literacy program again, but I do know some coordinators out there might think this was not enough. As a learner who has seen cuts to programs and spoke out about the cuts to literacy programs, this is the first time I did see the government add more funds to literacy programs. I do know some coordinator would say it’s only for two years, and it is not core funding. Having said this, it is a very nice start. This is why I am asking all the coordinator, program, and learners out there to please send a letter to
MPP, Hon Dwight Duncan dduncan.mpp@liberal.ola.org and MPP, Minister Milloy jmilloy.mpp@liberal.ola.org and Premier McGuinty dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
Because I do know right now the best way to get core funding is to thank the government for what they have done for literacy programs. I do hope the coordinator take the time and thank the government of Ontario for more money for literacy program. Here is my letter.
The provincial government of Ontario should be praised for an increase of $90 million in additional spending for literacy in Ontario. I am a board member of the Ontario Literacy Coalition, and board member of Program Read, a community-based program. I would have to say I am also a person who was illiterate for most of my life, but through a community-based program I did learn how to read. So now for the first time in my life, I can look forward to seeing about entering into a college program for a personal support worker. Therefore, I do admire the Premier McGuinty government, the MPP’s, Minister Milloy, and Minister Duncan, for knowing the importance of literacy for the people of Ontario.
Michael Shaughnessy
April 6, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Ida says
I would like to see more funding for Alpha Plus staff and to be able to have online courses for learners. I do feel as a learner that I would truly would like to have more funding for Literacy programs. I am on a fund raising committee for my Literacy program and plus I am on a committee to form an Association for learners and it get time to get it going.
Ida Hilson Adult learner
June 10, 2009 at 7:50 am
Really good blog, it is so informative Literacy Programs