Literate Cities Project:
Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators

PATRICIA NUTTER

OVER THE PAST DECADE, the face of municipal government has undergone a drastic change. The early reasons for supporting workplace literacy programs, such as improved health and safety in the workplace, hiring policies that required a Grade 12 or equivalent diploma, the introduction of new technology, and the opportunity to improve labour-management relations, have given way to the issues of the new knowledge society. Restructuring, amalgamating, and designing a municipal government operation that can drive a “smart local government” are all factors that motivate them to operate more efficiently. In addition, local governments will have to attract and retain skilled workers as the “baby boomers” leave the workforce. For example, the City of Winnipeg will lose approximately 50% of its municipal labour force within five years. To meet these demands, municipal governments are setting up workplace literacy and education programs that will assist municipal workers to upgrade their skill base and keep it current in the knowledge-based worksite.

The range of skills required to cope in today’s municipal workplaces has grown dramatically. In response, literacy has taken on a much broader meaning. Employees have to understand and use information in new and more complex ways. They have to understand the uses of technology and have the skills to apply it. Critical thinking and problem solving on the job are essential in their daily routines. For instance, there are new provincial requirements in place for water and wastewater management in Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Workers in these areas must now get certification which requires passing certification courses and exams. Workplace literacy programs provide the assistance workers might need to adapt to a new routine of study, training and test-taking.

Literate Cities Project

The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Literate Cities Project works with municipal stakeholder committees composed primarily of labour and management representatives to prepare for a workplace literacy program. In some cases community partners are also on the committee, as in Moncton, New Brunswick. In the City of Moncton, the workplace committee with about 20 members has representation from all its unions, from senior management, local community college instructors, and literacy educators.

The Project also has numerous partners across Canada that help to raise awareness about the importance of having workplace literacy programs available for municipal workers and their adult family members. They represent municipal managers and unions, provincial and local literacy agencies, educational institutions, program learners and governments. These partners serve an important function. They know what resources and options are available for the new initiative, and they can provide valuable advice. In Bathurst, New Brunswick, for instance, community outreach by the committee has drawn local businesses into the lifelong learning cycle. People in local businesses are instructing in their own areas of expertise such as landscaping and insurance. Here, personal learning is on the educational agenda as well as learning for work.