DLEP adds an extra $17.6 million to help more Canadians acquire digital skills

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, last week launched the second phase of the Digital Literacy Exchange Program (DLEP), announcing additional federal funding. This investment of $17.6 million over three years will be used to support initiatives focusing on teaching digital skills to underrepresented groups

More specifically, it will be used to support not-for-profit organizations whose mission is to teach digital skills to Canadians who struggle to participate fully in the digital world. This includes seniors, people who have not completed high school, Aboriginal people, people who do not speak English or French at home, people with disabilities, new Canadians, people with low income and residents of northern, rural and remote communities.

Launched in 2018, the DLEP aims to bridge the digital divide and help Canadians acquire the skills needed to use digital technologies. In its first phase, it trained over 400,000 people from underrepresented groups.

Digital literacy is essential in today’s increasingly digital world, the ministry said in a statement. Digital skills also enable Canadians to use the Internet safely and efficiently, whether to book medical appointments, bank, study, work, or look for a job.

Minister Champagne took the opportunity to announce the launch of a call for proposals from non-profit organizations interested in obtaining funding under the program. To be eligible, they must be incorporated in Canada, have at least three years of experience delivering digital literacy training, and submit their proposals by September 7, 2022 through the program website.

“Digital skills are crucial in today’s world. Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have the skills to access information and opportunities online. Through initiatives supported by the Digital Literacy Exchange Program, Canadians are receiving training to improve their skills and confidence so that they can fully participate in today’s digital economy”, said Minister Champagne.

Would you recommend this article?

Share

Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you think of this article!
We'd love to hear your opinion about this or any other story you read in our publication.


Jim Love, Chief Content Officer, IT World Canada

Featured Download

Renaud Larue-Langlois
Renaud Larue-Langlois
Half journalist, half IT Manager, full technology nerd. After a 25+ year career in IT, becoming a writer was a natural choice for Renaud. It literally runs in his family. His areas of interest are... anything, as long as it's technology-related. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured Articles

Cybersecurity in 2024: Priorities and challenges for Canadian organizations 

By Derek Manky As predictions for 2024 point to the continued expansion...

Survey shows generative AI is a top priority for Canadian corporate leaders.

Leaders are devoting significant budget to generative AI for 2024 Canadian corporate...

Related Tech News

Tech Jobs

Our experienced team of journalists and bloggers bring you engaging in-depth interviews, videos and content targeted to IT professionals and line-of-business executives.

Tech Companies Hiring Right Now