VANCOUVER -The Ministry of Education is providing $500,000 to support literacy and this year's Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader campaign, Education Minister Peter Fassbender announced today.

Fassbender joined hundreds of other volunteers on street corners throughout the Lower Mainland to raise awareness of literacy by selling special editions of the Vancouver Sun. Proceeds from today's newspaper sales will go to the Raise-a-Reader campaign in support of community-based literacy initiatives.

Funds raised through the annual Raise-a-Reader campaign play a vital role in supporting literacy programs that help B.C. families. Since 2004, the Province has invested more than $5.8 million in support of Raise-a-Reader, including the investment announced today.

Decoda Literacy Solutions - B.C.'s provincial literacy organization - will be working with the Vancouver Sun to distribute the Province's $500,000 Raise-a-Reader contribution to community-based literacy organizations throughout B.C.

Since 2001, the Province has invested more than $1.5 billion in literacy and literacy-related initiatives, including early learning programs.

Quotes:

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education -

"Literacy is an important key to life success and opens whole new worlds of opportunity for British Columbians. We are pleased to support this year's Raise-a-Reader campaign, which has such a positive impact on literacy programs at the community level."

Brenda Le Clair, CEO, Decoda Literacy Solutions -

"We value our partnership with the Vancouver Sun and the B.C. Government. The funds we receive and distribute from the Raise-A-Reader campaign allow us to support community-based literacy and learning initiatives for children and families, adults, Aboriginal and immigrant communities across the province."

Patricia Wu, Manager - Marketing, Local Marketing - Western Canada, The Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader:

"The Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader campaign was created to empower those who are in need with the proper tools and resources to improve their reading skills. The campaign provides funding to organizations such as Decoda Literacy Solutions, Canucks for Education Centre and the Vancouver Public Library Foundation, which promote children's and family literacy through unique programming. An important partner we'd like to acknowledge and thank is the B.C. government for their continuous support of our campaign and for being a partner in helping build a stronger literacy community."

Learn More:

B.C.'s Education Plan: www.bcedplan.ca

Raise-a-Reader: www.raiseareader.com

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Education
250 356-5963