Anti-racism Strategy

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At the City, we believe everyone who lives here is an Edmontonian, that every Edmontonian deserves to call this place home. The Anti-racism Strategy brings our community together to improve equity, end poverty, eliminate racism and make clear progress towards Truth and Reconciliation. We acknowledge that this is complex and multifaceted work and are developing a number of different approaches to address that complexity head on. Together, we will create a City - a home - where every individual, in all their unique diversity, belongs.

Program Overview

Anti-racism is the active, ongoing strategy and process that seeks to identify and eliminate racism by changing systems, institutions, policies and attitudes that perpetuate racism.

At its first meeting after the 2021 election, Edmonton City Council directed City Administration to develop a comprehensive anti-racism strategy. On February 22, 2022 Council approved the City’s Anti-racism Strategy.

Anti-Racism Independent Body Advisory Board (Board)

The Board provides advice and recommendations to the City Manager about the establishment and function of an independent anti-racism body to oversee anti-racism for Edmontonians, as recommended in the Anti-Racism Strategy. The Board will be comprised of up to fifteen members appointed by the City Manager for the duration of the term, including the Senior Executive Advisor for Anti-Racism and Intersectionality and the Senior Executive Advisor for Indigenous Relations.

Thank you to everyone who applied, the recruitment process is now closed and applications are being reviewed.

Anti-Racism Office

The creation of an internal, high-level Anti-Racism Office within Administration.

Administration is currently looking at options for what an anti-racism office could look like to fulfill the mandate put forward in the strategy- challenge racism, developing a culture of anti-racism, embedding anti-racist action into all processes within Administration, and acting as a collaborative partner with the Independent Anti-Racism Body to co-create a long term Anti-Racism Strategy and Plan for Edmonton.

Funding for Anti-Racism Work

The City has established funding to support capacity-building and other needs as identified, to strengthen grassroots Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) led organizations. Empowering the work of BIPOC led organizations, helps influence other organizations in Edmonton to create anti-racism strategies and policies, connecting them to the city’s long-term Anti-Racism Strategy and Plan to eliminate racism in our community.

For more details on these programs and their status please visit:

Anti-Racism Grants Program (ongoing funding through the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee)
Anti-Racism Community Safety Funding (one-time funding, currently closed)
Community Safety Well-being Funding (one-time funding, currently closed)

Additional funding will be available based on recommendations of the Anti-Racism Independent Body Advisory Board.

UN Declaration

The International Decade for People of African Descent Proclamation

On August 29, 2022, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi made a special proclamation re-committing the City of Edmonton’s support for the UN International Decade for People of African Descent. The recognition, justice and development of people of African descent articulated in the Declaration supports the City’s ongoing corporate commitment to eliminate racism in our community, in all of its forms.

Anti-Black Racism Action Plan

To support what the UN International Decade for People of African Descent proclamation reflects, City Administration will begin a new project to combat racism in Edmonton by working with the community to co-create an Anti-Black Racism Action Plan.
Throughout this work, an Afrocentric lens and approach will be applied. The voices of the Black community in Edmonton will always be centered and we will ensure the work we are doing is relevant to those most affected.

We commit to providing safe spaces that welcome the Black communities in Edmonton to share their voices. We will ensure there are a variety of ways to engage in meaningful dialogue with diverse representatives from across Edmonton’s black communities, council advisory committees and City of Edmonton staff as we build our Edmonton action plan, together.

To get involved, please email antiracismstrategy@edmonton.ca.

Anti-Racism Advisory Committee of Council

The Anti-racism Advisory Committee’s mandate is to raise awareness and catalyze action on racism and anti-racism in Edmonton, and provide advice to Council regarding community perspectives on issues relating to racism, including, but not limited to: diversity; discrimination; hate and extremism; racial equity; anti-Black racism; racism against Indigenous Peoples; xenophobia; Islamophobia; antisemitism; and the lived experiences of persons of colour. They are governed by the C18970 Bylaw .

The functions of the committee are:

Identifies and ensures equitable engagement of stakeholder groups and seeks their input into the Committee’s work
Recommends to Council anti-racism funding program allocations which support community-based initiatives that:
- Address racially motivated hate
- Build community capacity and cultural understanding
- Promote awareness, training, and education, or
- Involve research, monitoring and evaluation on diversity, anti-racism, and/or discrimination
Conducts research and prepares reports on community-based issues and concerns, and complements existing structures by providing recommendations on programs and services and their priorities; and
Works with the City Manager to develop and maintain a dialogue about, and take action on, matters of concern to stakeholders in relation to anti-racism

Learn More About the Committee

Truth and Reconciliation

A Municipal Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S+) Calls for Justice

The City is continuing to advance work on these two files with early recommendations and requests for funding going forward to Council this fall. We continue to work closely with the Indigenous community while we establish actions and commitments to both of these responses.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action Final Report
MMIWG2S+ and the Calls for Justice
The City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Framework
The City of Edmonton’s Indigenous Relations Office

Resources

Anti-Racism Strategy - Report.pdf
Attachment 1 - Context of Report from the perspective of the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee with BIPOC Youth and members of the BIPOC Community.pdf
Attachment 2 - Brief History of Racism in Alberta.pdf
Attachment 3 - Glossary of Key Terminology.pdf
Attachment 4 - Municipal Scan of Canadian Cities.pdf
Attachment 5 - Anti-Racism Strategy.pdf
Attachment 6 - Intergovernmental Levers.pdf
Thoughts Leaders Comments.pdf

For More Information

Email	antiracismstrategy@edmonton.ca

Anti-racism Strategy

Program Overview

Anti-Racism Independent Body Advisory Board (Board)

The International Decade for People of African Descent Proclamation

Related Links

Community Safety & Well Being Strategy

ConnectEdmonton

The City Plan

For More Information