'It's a reality now': PEI Literacy Alliance in danger of closing

The PEI Literacy Alliance has been able to make it until now since federal core funding was cut in 2014, but now they say without funding they will have to close their doors this time next year.

Ron MacDonald, the Chair of the Board of the Directors said the Alliance has had to cut staff positions, leaving them with just one — the acting executive director.

If those programs aren't in place, the young and the old will be challenged.- Ron MacDonald, PEI Literacy Alliance

He said their goal is to restore the core federal funding to get back to their three staff positions.

In addition to that, the organization has also had to decrease the programming it offers the community.

'We should be doing more'

"We've actually had to reduce some programming so for instance our jewel in the crown of our work is our summer tutoring program for kids. Normally we have about 800 students in the summer engaged in that program, but we've had to reduce that to 600 students. And we also had a mathematics achievement program that we ran last year and can't run last year."

"So yeah, we're still around but we are doing less work and we should be doing more."

MacDonald said he didn't expect the group to be able to last this long without the funding.

"I am surprised, pleasantly surprised, and pleased with our staff to find efficiencies and to do the work but at the same time we've reduced our programming so it's a problem."

MacDonald said the group has been able to access private donations and some provincial funding, but it is not enough.

He said they had built up a reserve of funding for core staff and have been drawing from it, but without help, this time next year there will not be any left. 

"It's a reality now."

Taking the issue up with the government

If federal funding isn't received, MacDonald said they likely wouldn't be able to run their summer programming next year.

P.E.I.'s Literacy Alliance has joined forces with other literacy alliances from across the Maritimes and they will be bringing the issue to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance in October.

MacDonald said the Alliance is an important resource in P.E.I.

"45 per cent of Islanders, adults in particular, are below the level to be able to fully function in society. The Literacy Alliance does a great deal of work to support those adult learners."

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"Students, kids, in the summer, there's a natural, normal literacy slide that happens. When students who are at risk with respect to literacy take part in our programs, 96 per cent of those students remain at level or increase their level of literacy during that summertime program. That's an important achievement. So if those programs aren't in place, the young and the old will be challenged."

MacDonald said he is not aware of any programs on the Island that would be able to take over the work the Alliance does.

"The gap would be there."

MacDonald says he does believe it's possible for the Alliance to receive funding from the current government.

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