Foundational Skills in Ontario

Literacy is often thought of as reading.  However, literacy encompasses all 9 Skills for Success identified by the Government of Canada.  These are critical for success in work, learning, and community participation.

These include

• Reading
• Writing
• Numeracy
• Communication
• Digital skills
• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Problem solving
• Creativity and innovation

Together, these foundational skills enable people to participate effectively in the workplace and adapt to changing job requirements.

Strong literacy and foundational skills benefit individuals, employers, and communities.

Employment and Training

Literacy supports the understanding of

• workplace communication
• policies and procedures
• safety requirements
• technical documentation

Education and Apprenticeship Pathways

Learners need literacy skills to

• navigate applications
• interpret course materials
• understand technical texts
• meet credential requirements

Independence and Digital Participation

Digital skills are becoming more and more important for everyday life.  Literacy skills enable people to manage

• health information
• housing
• banking
• government services
• digital platforms increasingly required for daily life
• prep for employment readiness

Community and Civic Engagement

Strong literacy skills help people make informed decisions, understand their rights and responsibilities and participation in public life.

For employers, strong foundational skills of employees

• reduces training costs
• improves workplace safety
• increases productivity
• supports the successful adoption of new technologies

Research consistently links literacy proficiency to employment stability, access to training, earnings potential and resilience during labour market disruption.

1. Community Literacy of Ontario Skills Report (2025) highlights the connection between literacy, health, poverty, employment, the economy. Literacy: Why It Matters — Community Literacy of Ontario
2. Learn more about about the literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving skills of Canadians: Results from the 2022 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies.

Canada has measured adult literacy for decades through international assessments, including

• International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)
• Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL)
• Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC)

These assessments measure how adults apply literacy skills in real-life situations at work, at home, and in the community.

Learn more about about the literacy, numeracy and adaptive problem-solving skills of Canadians: Results from the 2022 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. Literacy Levels Across the Population

According to PIAAC data

• 19% of Canadian adults score at Level 1 or below in literacy, indicating limited proficiency with basic tasks
• 48% of adults in Ontario score below Level 3 literacy proficiency
  • Level 3 is generally considered the minimum proficiency required to effectively manage at work (workplace documents, technical materials, digital environments). This means nearly half of Ontarians may face challenges fully participating in today’s technology and information-based labour market.

Literacy challenges are not just a barrier for people with low formal education.

• 10% of adults aged 25–65 with a bachelor’s degree or higher scored at the lowest literacy proficiency levels
• 6% of adults aged 25–65 with a high school education or less scored at the highest proficiency levels

These findings demonstrate that formal education alone doesn’t guarantee strong literacy skills.  Skills development may be required at any stage of life.

Learning Networks help translate this evidence into coordinated regional planning and system improvement across Ontario’s adult literacy sector.

Ontario’s economy is undergoing significant transformation.  This is driven by automation, digitalization, sector shifts and demographic change.  As job requirements evolve, foundational skills are increasingly critical for

• entering employment
• job retention
• career progression
• transitioning between sectors
• accessing training, apprenticeship and post-secondary pathways

Strong literacy and skills for success are consistently associated with improved employment outcomes, greater adaptability and increased participation in training.

We strengthen coordination across literacy, employment and training services.  By doing this, we help align foundational skills development with regional labour market priorities and employer needs.

Ontario delivers adult literacy services through its Get SET (Skills, Education and Training) program within Employment Ontario.

Get SET supports adults to develop communication, numeracy, interpersonal and digital skills to achieve their goals along 5 pathways.  These are

• Employment
• Apprenticeship
• Post-secondary education
• Secondary school completion
• Greater independence

All learners receive 5 core services

• Information and Referral
• Assessment
• Learner Plan Development
• Training
• Follow-up

Get SET services are free.  They are available to adults living in Ontario, including unemployed individuals and employed adults seeking skills upgrading.

Each year, Get SET service providers support over 45,000 adults across more than 300 learning centres.  Services are delivered in-person, online and through hybrid models.  This includes Ontario’s e-Channel (remote delivery), increasing accessibility across regions.

Get SET is delivered within Employment Ontario, Ontario’s integrated employment and training system.

Learners frequently transition between services.  For example, they may transition from skills upgrading to skills training or to apprenticeship or employment services.  Effective coordination across programs

• reduces barriers
• shortens transition times
• improves employment outcomes

Learning Networks work with multiple partners to strengthen collaboration, improve referral pathways and support smoother learner transitions.

Ontario’s adult literacy system is funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) through Employment Ontario.

Learning Networks strengthen Ontario’s adult literacy and foundational skills system by

• improving regional coordination
• supporting evidence-informed planning and decision-making
• aligning services with labour market priorities
• building system capacity and shared learning
• strengthening pathways to employment, training, and education

Through this work, Learning Networks help ensure that adult skills upgrading services function as an integrated component of Ontario’s workforce development strategy.