| ONTARIO GOVERNMENT INVESTS TO STRENGTHEN LITERACY TRAINING FOR JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WATERLOO REGION AND WELLINGTON COUNTY
Local MPPs announced on November 1, 2001 that Laubach Literacy Ontario and Project READ Literacy Network will receive $67,500 and $21,000 respectively from the Ontario government to strengthen literacy training. Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott joined that announcement and also reported that the Wellington County Learning Centre will receive $41,000 under the program.
“In today's economy, strong literacy and language skills are a basic requirement to compete in Ontario's highly skilled workforce,” said Cambridge MPP Gerry Martiniuk. “We are pleased to provide this funding to help provide more opportunities for adult learners to develop the literacy skills essential to keep pace with change in today's economy,” added Kitchener-Waterloo MPP and Minister of Environment Elizabeth Witmer.
The Ontario government invests more than $60 million a year to serve 68,000 adult literacy learners. Out of this budget, the government is investing about $2 million to support 75 projects that promote literacy in Ontario. “Support for Laubach Literacy Ontario and Project READ Literacy Network is part of the government's plan to help adult learners develop literacy skills to enable them to lead fulfilling lives and enter or re-enter the workforce,” said Kitchener Centre MPP Wayne Wettlaufer.
“Our government has built a unique partnership of volunteers, community agencies, schools and colleges to achieve some of the best literacy delivery models in the world,” said Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott. More than 10,000 people volunteer their services to help support literacy and basic skills training.
“We recognize the economic payoffs of literacy,” said Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Dianne Cunningham. “Literacy skills form the essential foundation upon which people can build additional skills to find or keep a job, and contribute to their community and the economy.”
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