Alika Lafontaine

The Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation is a national registered charity dedicated to advancing early literacy across Canada, with a focus on closing literacy gaps among children in low socio-economic communities and those facing challenges related to cultural identity, geographic isolation, and health conditions. The non-profit company is based in Toronto, Canada. The foundation collaborates with healthcare providers, early years educators, families, communities, and government agencies to remove barriers and build pathways to strong reading skills through advocacy, evidence-based programs, research, and policy influence. Its flagship initiative, the "Early Words" program, supports healthcare professionals and early years educators by providing training, practical resources, books, and clinic tools to promote early language and literacy development in children aged 0–5. The program operates in over 150 clinics across 12 provinces and territories, integrating culturally reflective materials, especially in Indigenous and remote communities, and is guided by a health leaders council of physicians. The foundation also offers a comprehensive online resource library with multilingual materials for healthcare providers, educators, families, and caregivers, emphasizing interactive and inclusive literacy activities. Beyond program delivery, the foundation engages in research and policy work addressing systemic barriers to literacy, foundational skill development by age five, and the economic importance of early literacy, participating in government consultations, hosting roundtables, and publishing reports to influence national literacy policy and investment. The Canadian company was founded in 2017 by Chris Hadfield, Heather E. L. Munroe-Blum, Heather M. Reisman. Ariel R. Siller has been the CEO of the company since 2019.