By Juliette Welch
Local Journalism Initiative
Across Canada, Jan. 27 is Family Literacy Day, an annual event designed to encourage family literacy-related activities. Poor literacy skills affect up to 48 per cent of Canadians, according to ABC Life Literacy Canada, with 17 per cent functioning at the lowest level. Locally, the Yamaska Literacy Council (YLC) is celebrating Family Literacy Day with an event in Waterloo on Jan. 27 and another on Jan. 28 in Stanbridge East.
Wendy Seys, the executive director of Yamaska Literacy Council, noted the issue greatly affects Quebec families, “One out of five adults in Quebec struggle with basic literacy,” she explained. The YLC’s stated mission includes working with English-speaking adults and older youth to improve their literacy skills. Seys said the events work towards that goal.
