Literacy in North Island not just about reading
- communications
- 15 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Published in North Island Gazette, June 28, 2026
By Bill McQuarrie
Literacy within our North Island communities is not, as many believe, merely a reading problem.
It is instead viewed by those working in the field as a critical, multi-faceted issue that impacts us every day by acting as a barrier to both personal and economic growth.
If that were not enough, studies confirm that rural communities suffer disproportionately when compared to urban centres.
According to Decoda Literacy Solutions, rural communities face a unique set of “demographic challenges,” including an aging population and higher poverty rates (roughly 21 per cent for rural children). This often translates into fewer resources for early intervention and a higher reliance on community-based non-profits rather than formal educational institutions.
It was against that backdrop that, Jessica Brown, Executive Director of the Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society (MWFLS) met with Port McNeill Council at their June 23 meeting. She began her presentation by reminding Council that the Society sees literacy as an opportunity to support learning, stating,
“Every day we see how (improved) literacy changes lives – a child gaining confidence with reading, an adult improving their digital skills for work, or a newcomer finding connection through community learning.”
MWFLS acknowledges that these issues are in our own backyard but is quick to remind everyone that it isn’t just about books.
According to the society, ‘functional literacy’ is the key concept. As a practical example of its importance, Ms. Brown explained how their Smart Shopping Challenge works:
“Smart Shopping combines food literacy, financial literacy, and information literacy in a way that helps participants learn how to read nutrition labels, compare unit pricing, plan meals, and stretch a food budget.”
It is also an issue that is not going away anytime soon. The Ministry of Education and Child Care notes in their current service plan that province wide, they are seeing a decline in their literacy outcomes for grades K through 3 and recognize the need to scale up their early literacy screening for those grades while enhancing their intervention and outreach programs for all grades.
As noted in the Decoda Literacy Solutions paper, the rural-urban literacy gap exists, and our smaller populations and isolation can make it harder to attract and sustain full-time specialized educators. In these situations, it is left instead to societies, charities, coordinators and volunteers. Unfortunately, finding the funds to operate these programs, even on a shoestring budget, is a constant concern to agencies such as the Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society.
In answer to that need, Jessica Brown was asking the Town for financial support. No specific amount was requested at that meeting, but Ms. Brown told the Gazette afterwards that it was her intent at that meeting to, “Provide context for the funding request and demonstrate why continued support is important for sustaining these services.
The Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society works with communities, schools and organizations to support literacy and learning for all ages on North Vancouver Island. Visit the MWFLS website to learn about their free programs at: mwfamilyliteracy.org
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