BRAMPTON, ON (May 5, 2022) – The City of Brampton continues to take steps to create a safe, accessible, anti-racist, and inclusive environment where staff and residents can reach their potential and thrive.
Last week, the City hosted a Council Workshop and an Employee Town Hall to discuss the results of an independent review into the experiences of Black employees at the City, including an evaluation of processes, policies, and procedures to assess the existence and scope of discriminatory experiences and practices.
The City retained Williams HR Law to conduct the external third-party review, with work beginning in Fall 2020. The review focused on the experiences and observations of City employees related to direct, indirect, subtle, and systemic discrimination and manifestations of anti-Black racism.
Based on information gathered from participant interviews and relevant documentation, Williams HR Law made 26 key findings as a result of its assessment of employee experiences and observations related to anti-Black racism in the workplace. Findings were recorded under the following categories:
• Racial diversity
• Workplace environment and culture
• Hiring policies and practices
• Career advancement
• EDI training and policies
• Existing EDI initiatives
• Collection of identity-based data
The City of Brampton Equity Office and Human Resources divisions will collaborate with City staff and internal stakeholders to collectively inform next steps to address equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism in the City, to move forward with the development of an action plan.
About the Equity Office
The City of Brampton is advancing the Term of Council Priority Brampton is a Mosaic with an Equity Office to serve its employees and citizens. Established in December 2020, the Equity Office works to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and promote a harmonious environment both inside the City and for its residents.
In June 2020, City Council approved a motion to create a Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit. Since then, Council passed a motion to amalgamate the Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism Unit with the Equity Office, furthering the City’s commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
More information about the Equity Office is available at Brampton.ca.
Quotes
“Brampton is a Mosaic, and we are dedicated to continuing to embed diversity, equity and inclusion into all of our programs, services and initiatives at the City. The independent third-party review on anti-Black racism shows that while we have made great strides as a corporation, we still have work to do to bring systemic and organizational transformation. Together, we will continue to break down barriers to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton
“As the first Black woman elected to Brampton City Council, I am proud that the City of Brampton continues to take steps to create a safe, accessible, anti-racist and inclusive environment for staff and residents across our community. This third-party review shows that while the City has begun to address diversity, equity, inclusion and racism, we have more work to do. Council and staff will continue to collaborate as we move forward with developing our action plan to address systematic discrimination and work to create an anti-racist work environment.”
- Charmaine Williams, City Councillor, Wards 7 & 8, City of Brampton
“We are committed to listening, learning and leading when it comes to the experiences of Black employees at the City of Brampton, and this third-party review provides a clear path forward to addressing our workplace culture. As an organization, we will continue to take steps to grow a diverse workforce reflective of the community we serve, and create an inclusive environment where all individuals thrive.”
- Paul Morrison, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton
“I would like to thank staff who contributed to this third-party review for being courageous and using their voices to speak their collective truths about their experiences to help disrupt the status quo for a better future. Through our Equity Office, we will continue to advance an organization that is anti-racist and continue to collaborate with City employees and key stakeholders to determine areas of improvement and work towards advancing a safe, accessible and inclusive environment.”
- Michele Byrne, Manager, Equity Office, City of Brampton
“We were honoured to have had the opportunity to support the City of Brampton’s Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Work Plan by conducting the EDI Review with a specific focus on the experiences of Black employees from an anti-Black racism lens. Since the outset of our engagement, the City has gained significant traction in advancing its commitment to address anti-Black racism and other forms of systemic discrimination and inequities within its workplace, most notably by the establishment and staffing of its Equity Office. The manner in which leadership and staff engaged in our process makes us optimistic that the City will continue to build on this momentum as it implements our recommendations along with the other initiatives that it has slated to make the workplace more equitable, diverse and inclusive for the benefit of all employees. Thank you for entrusting our firm with this important work, and we wish the City all the best as it continues to progress in its EDI journey.”
- Laura Williams, Wiliams HR Law
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As one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, Brampton is home to 700,000 people and 75,000 businesses. People are at the heart of everything we do. We are energized by our diverse communities, we attract investment, and we are embarking on a journey to lead technological and environmental innovation. We partner for progress to build a healthy city that is safe, sustainable and successful. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Learn more at www.brampton.ca
MEDIA CONTACT
City of Brampton Media Relations
Mediarelations@brampton.ca
