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The Anti-racism Strategy brings our community together to improve equity, end poverty, eliminate racism and make clear progress toward 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.
We believe everyone who lives here is an Edmontonian, that every Edmontonian deserves to call this place home.
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.
Following the 2021 election, Edmonton City Council directed City Administration to develop a comprehensive anti-racism strategy.
Anti-racism work would not be possible without collaboration with community. It’s this collaboration with our community partners and organizations that enables the vision of the Anti-racism Strategy to be a reality.
In fall 2023, Council approved budget resources to establish a High Level Office for Reconciliation and Anti-Racism (HLO) in 2024, whose mandate includes implementing the recommendations of the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan.
The 14-member Advisory Panel is a diverse group of Edmontonians who bring lived experience to the City's anti-racism work. They were selected through an extensive open process and met regularly between February 2022 and August 2024.
The mandate of the Panel was to provide advice to the City Manager on the establishment and function of an Independent Anti-racism Body. The Panel submitted a report to the City in 2024, which is currently being reviewed.
The Anti-racism Advisory Committee (ARAC) has helped shape where we are today and has delivered the Anti-racism Strategy. It’s administrative work remains on pause while the Independent advisory panel works on the formation of the independent body, as per the Anti-racism Strategy.
To support the UN International Decade for People of African Descent proclamation and advance its Anti-Racism Strategy, City Administration worked with Edmonton communities to co-create an Anti-Black Racism Action Plan .
This action plan is driven and guided by Edmonton’s Black communities and their needs, and supported and facilitated by the municipal government of Edmonton.
Extensive community engagements held between December 2022 and March 2023 resulted in the What We Heard report , which summarizes the experiences and input shared with the consultants at the time of report submission. Those experiences and voices then shaped and informed the creation of the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan containing community’s recommendations on how the City can build equity, address racism and create an anti-racist corporation and city.
The City held discussions across the corporation following the Plan’s release, and found that many recommendations are beginning to be addressed through various initiatives such as the Economic Action Plan, Affordable Housing Strategy, Sustainable Procurement Policy, Zoning Bylaw Renewal and Neighbourhood Revitalization projects. While the City has made significant progress, we recognize much work remains on our journey to becoming an anti-racist city.
For recommendations that fall outside the City’s legislated responsibilities under the Municipal Government Act, we will continue to connect community organizations with the City’s agencies, boards and commissions and will include community voices when advocating to intergovernmental partners.
The City has partnered with the University of Alberta to provide a free new course offering: Black Canadians History, Presence, and Anti-racist Futures. The intent of the course is to gain an understanding of the Black experience in Canada, while also learning how to be a better ally in building an anti-racist future.
This partnership is in direct response to the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan, where it was the will of community to help educate Edmontonians on the Black experience.
Source: University of Alberta
As we continue to learn about Canada and Edmonton’s relationship with diverse ethnic and cultural groups who call this city home, the City recognizes that Canada has a unique relationship with Indigenous Peoples, the First Peoples of this land. As such, anti-racism work at the City cannot exist without acknowledging the anti-Indigenous racism faced by many throughout generations and on our streets, in our public spaces and within the organization still today.
Guided by the Indigenous Framework, our guide to building strong relationships with Indigenous Peoples, the City of Edmonton is committed to answering the calls to action and calls for justice with our TRC Municipal Response Plan and an MMIWG2S+ Action Plan. These community-driven efforts, which include guidance from Indigenous elders and knowledge keepers, aim to reduce and eliminate anti-Indigenous racism in Edmonton.
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada outlined 94 calls to action to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Likewise, the 2019 final report of a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) lists 231 calls for justice to ensure Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples live in dignity. Both highlight the need to address racism through education and awareness.
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.
Additional funding will be available based on recommendations of the Anti-Racism Independent Body Advisory Board.
Anti-Racism Strategy Implementation Update
Anti-Racism Strategy - Report
Attachment 1 - Context of Report from the perspective of the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee with BIPOC Youth and members of the BIPOC Community
Attachment 2 - Brief History of Racism in Alberta
Attachment 3 - Glossary of Key Terminology
Attachment 4 - Municipal Scan of Canadian Cities
Attachment 5 - Anti-Racism Strategy
Attachment 6 - Intergovernmental Levers
Thought Leaders Comments
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