Reading difficulties a barrier for workers looking to change careers

Close-up shot of an adult man reading.

Nearly three million Quebecers struggle with reading, according to a report by the Literacy Foundation unveiled Monday during a presentation in Montreal.

That challenge presents an additional barrier to a worker’s skillset at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is threatening to disrupt many jobs.

Just over half of Quebecers lack the literacy skills needed to understand more complex documents, such as workplace instructions, contracts, or a text the length of a newspaper article, the report finds.

These difficulties pose an additional obstacle for workers seeking to upskill, according to economist Pierre Langlois, who authored the report commissioned by the foundation.

At a press briefing, Langlois noted that jobs may soon become increasingly technical, and these skills are harder to acquire with a weak ability to read.

Both workers and employers lose out as a result, according to the Quebec Employers’ Council, which participated in the presentation.

By improving Quebecers’ reading skills, the province’s economy could grow by $5.9 billion, the report estimates.

However, the subject is taboo and the problem is often “invisible,” even to those close to the person, notes Patrick Lutzy, president of the board of the Literacy Foundation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 25, 2026.