Canada has been a leader in the use of plain language in government, business and organizations. Since 1975, projects have researched, innovated, and applied plain language to public communications. Below are Canadian plain language resources.

Index

Government resources

• Government of Canada
• Council of Canadian Administrative tribunals
• Treasury Board of Canada

Provincial governments

• British Columbia
• Ontario
• Northwest Territories

Professional resources
​Literacy

• Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals
• Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
• ​Northwest Territories Literacy Council

​Society and culture
Training
​Resources in French

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Government resources

Government Of Canada
Policy on Communications and Federal Identity: Directive on the Management of Communications Informing the public

• 6.10 Ensuring that communications products and activities are:
• 6.10.3 Clear, timely, accurate, accessible and written in plain language​

TERMIUM Plus® > The Canadian Style > ​Plain Language
TERMIUM Plus® > Peck's English Pointers > Clarity >Plain Language
TERMIUM Plus® > clear verbal communication

Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals
LITERACY AND ACCESS TO ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE IN CANADA: A guide for the promotion of plain language (PDF)

Treasury Board of Canada 
Plain Language Style Guide

Provincial governments

​British Columbia
Plain Language Guide, British Columbia
BC Plain Language Checklist 

​Ontario
Fact sheet – Clear Writing
​
Northwest Territories
A plain language handbook: Write for your reader (PDF)

Professional Resources

Consultants, Trainers, Practioners and Advocates

IvaCheung.com
Plain language and the historical rain shadow

Plain Language: Clear and Simple​  

• Plain Language: Clear and Simple 
• PDF Hard copy via CreateSpace
• Plain Language: Clear and Simple—Trainer’s Guide 
• ​PDF Hard copy via CreateSpace
• Pour un style clair et simple
• PDF Hard copy via CreateSpace
• Pour un style clair et simple – Guide du formateur 
• PDF Hard copy via CreateSpace ​​

Literacy

Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals 
Literacy and plain language

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
Target Crime with Literacy (PDF)
​
Northwest Territories Literacy Council
Plain language audit tool (PDF)
Tools to help you write in plain language

Society and culture

​Coming soon

Training

The Plain Train,​  a short training program developed for the government of Canada, based on the booklet Plain Language: Clear and Simple.

See our Training section for more.

Resources in French

See our French webpage.