Brampton to form new equity office in 2021

Jan. 4, 2021, Brampton, Ont. — The City of Brampton is creating an equity office to further support its diversity and inclusion plan. A City press statement said the new office has the support of all of its labour partners, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 831; Amalgamated Transit Union, Local 1573 and the Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association, Local 1068.

The equity office will focus on identifying and removing barriers in the workplace and community regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, disability, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, same sex partnership, age, marital status, family status, immigrant status, receipt of public assistance, political affiliation, religious affiliation, level of literacy, language and/or socio-economic status.

Among other important initiatives, it will also host the Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit, which was set up this year, as well as the Indigenous Reconciliation project.

The equity office will work to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and promote a harmonious environment both inside the city and for its residents.

In November 2019, Brampton launched a new five-year Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Work Plan. It set out opportunities to foster a more inclusive organizational culture that engages, develops and celebrates its people, and attracts a diverse workforce.

In 2019, city council participated in a workshop led by the Canadian Centre for Diversity & Inclusion (CCDI), who provided insight on the survey of the city’s employees they conducted from January to March 2019. The CCDI analysis also included evidence from focus groups, leadership assessments, and an organizational maturity analysis.

The strategy has four priorities:

• Grow a diverse workforce reflective of the community the City of Brampton serves
• Foster a more inclusive environment where individuals say, stay, and strive
• Develop awareness and ability of all employees for diversity and inclusion to thrive
• Celebrate our uniqueness and shared successes by upholding the City’s values of trust, integrity, courage and compassion

In June 2020, city council launched the City’s first-ever Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit to take meaningful action against anti-Black racism.

Guided by Brampton’s diverse Black African and Caribbean diaspora, this unit will establish priorities and an action plan that eradicates systemic anti-Black racism in Brampton and uplifts the social, cultural, and economic position of the black community.

The City will release further details on the launch of the equity office in early 2021.