Government of Canada investing in teaching digital skills to Canadians who need them most

Canadians in Greater Montréal area needing fundamental digital skills training to benefit from $236,000 investment made through Digital Literacy Exchange program

WESTMOUNT, QC, May 17, 2019 /CNW/ - Digital skills widen Canadians' access to a world of possibilities. All Canadians should have the necessary skills to get online by using computers, mobile devices and the Internet safely and effectively. That is why the Government is putting in place initiatives to ensure no one is left behind as the world transitions to a digital economy.

Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced an investment of $236,000 in the Atwater Library and Computer Centre's Connecting People to a Digital Lifestyle initiative to deliver fundamental digital skills training to participants in the Greater Montréal area.

This initiative will reach over 4,000 participants, providing them with training in areas such as Internet browsing and security, word processing and social media. The initiative will be targeted at low-income individuals, members of language minority groups, seniors, persons with disabilities and individuals who have not completed high school.

This investment is being provided through the Digital Literacy Exchange program, a $29.5-million program that supports digital skills training for those known to be most at risk of being left behind by the rapid pace of digital technology adoption: seniors, people with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, Indigenous peoples, low-income Canadians, members of language minority groups, and individuals living in northern and rural communities.

The program aligns with the Government's Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to create good jobs and ensure Canadians have the skills to succeed.

Quotes

"Digital skills are becoming more important every day, whether for booking a medical appointment, banking safely, studying or looking for a job. That's why, through the Digital Literacy Exchange Program, we are ensuring that Canadians can fully participate in our digital society and benefit from all the possibilities it offers."
? The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

"New technologies are now part of everyday life for most Canadians, both in their personal and professional lives. Our government's support for the Atwater Library and Computer Centre will widen access to these technologies and help people acquire fundamental digital skills."
? The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport and Member of Parliament for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce?Westmount

"Our initiative will offer people throughout the Montréal region basic digital skills training in a variety of ways. There will be collaborative projects and peer learning, hands-on workshops, lectures and discussions, group instruction and one-on-one help. Our teaching will emphasize confidence building and Internet uses that appeal to learners because they are useful and satisfying, with obvious potential to improve their lives economically, socially and personally."
? John Aylen, President, Atwater Library and Computer Centre  

Quick facts

• The Digital Literacy Exchange program is designed to be inclusive by reaching out to those who are not online or are still learning how to use digital technologies. This includes seniors, people with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, low-income Canadians, members of language minority groups, Indigenous peoples, individuals who have not completed high school, and people living in northern and rural communities.
• Project funding is available from 2018?19 to 2021?22.

Associated links

• Digital Literacy Exchange Program
• Innovation and Skills Plan

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada