Anti-Racism Strategy

We are committed to combating, dismantling and eradicating racism including at the interpersonal, structural and institutional levels. This starts with the recognition and acknowledgement that racism and anti-Black racism exist in all institutions.

We are committed to ensuring the optimum health, safety and wellbeing of our staff, children, youth, and families that we serve. We are invested in continuous learning to spur courageous conversation about the cruel impact of racism and discrimination on our Black, Indigenous and racialized communities.

Our goal is to be intentional and accountable, and develop and implement anti-racism strategies geared towards opposing and eliminating racism in all its forms. We denounce white supremacy, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, and the perpetuation of inequality of any form, and are committed to improving the health, safety and wellbeing of the marginalized communities that we serve through collaboration and community capacity building. 

Our Anti-Racism and Anti-Black Racism Strategy includes:

• Acknowledging that racism and anti-Black racism exists today.
• Implementing One Vision One Voice
• Responding effectively to any staff reported acts of racism and anti-Black racism both within and outside of the agency in the performance of their duty.
• Internal capacity building consisting of continuous learning, anti-Black racism training, bias testing, self-awareness of the role of power, privilege, prejudice, building affinity groups.
• Using an anti-racism and anti-Black racism lens to review all agency policies, procedures, practices and related actions to ensure fairness and inclusivity.
• Engaging and mobilizing the community, including organizing community forums, system leaders meetings, seeking expert knowledge, working together with the affected communities and collaborating in building preventative and early intervention service models.
• Developing strategies and joint training with the police to combat racism and anti-Black racism.
• Developing 2SLGBTQ+ strategy 
• Engaging government and elected officials.
• Engaging system leaders and grassroots organizations.
• Ongoing development of learning platforms.
• Encouraging voices in the agency to speak up and take action.
• Engaging our Indigenous community at every level.

Review our Action Plan for specific steps the agency is taking.

Above all, we will listen, learn, and work together to ensure that our commitment to DEI, anti-racism and anti-Black racism informs everything we do.  

To learn more, share resources and to get involved, please contact [email protected]