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Report To: General Government Committee
Date of Meeting: March 6, 2023 Report Number: LGS-010-24
Submitted By: Rob Maciver, Deputy CAO/Solicitor By-law Number:
Reviewed By: Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO
Authored By: Pinder Da Silva, IDEA Officer
File Number: Resolution#: GG-032-24
Report Subject: Diversity in Clarington - 2023 Update on Diversity Initiatives and
Clarington’s Diversity Advisory Committee
Recommendation:
1.That Report LGS-010-24 be received for information: and
2.That all interested parties listed in Report LGS-010-24, and any delegations, be advised
of Council’s decision.
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Report Overview
Diversity and Inclusion efforts are coordinated through Clarington’s Diversity Advisory
Committee (CDAC), its Anti-Black Racism Task Force, Clarington’s Diversity and Inclusion
Staff Team, and Clarington’s Truth and Reconciliation Staff Committee, for both the
community and the corporation.
Each group developed work plans that outlined their goals and strategies for their success
over the past year. Many of their accomplishments are included in this report.
1. Background
1.1 The Diversity and Inclusion portfolio moved from the Office of the CAO to Legislative
Service, Clerks Division in 2023. Previous to the move, the position evolved into the
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism (IDEA) Officer and acts as a resource for all
municipal service areas. The Accessibility portfolio falls within the IDEA portfolio and the
Accessibility Coordinator reports to the IDEA Officer.
1.2 In September 2023, Erica Mittag left the position and Pinder Da Silva moved into the
role of the IDEA Officer in November 2023.
1.3 The work within this portfolio is led by the IDEA Officer and is further supported by
internal Staff and advisory committees to ensure a diversity of voices are contributing to
the work and to ensure a greater impact in the workplace and community. The
committees are outlined below.
1.4 The Clarington Diversity Advisory Committee (CDAC) was established in 2018 and is a
resident committee that acts as an advisory body for Council. Its mandate is to provide
advice, comments, and recommendations on issues affecting diversity in our
community, foster awareness, reduce barriers, promote inclusion, and engage our
residents. The CDAC meets monthly.
1.5 The Clarington Anti-Black Racism Task Force (CABRTF) is a sub-committee of the
CDAC and was formed in August 2020 from a commitment to break down walls and
eliminate racism in the community. CABRTF’s focus is on developing strategies to
address anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination in our community. This is
accomplished through education and awareness by recommending policies, initiatives,
and guidance on matters related to racism. Members are appointed by the CDAC, and
leadership is shared by a member of the CDAC who acts a Co-Chair. This helps to
ensure continuity of the work to the overall CDAC.
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1.6 Internally, Clarington’s Diversity and Inclusion Staff Team (DIST) was formed in 2020
and focuses on providing learning opportunities to Staff, reviews internal policies to
identify gaps or areas that need to be reviewed and strengthened. Member of DIST act
as diversity and inclusion champions for their department, extending the reach of
diversity and inclusion by engaging Staff at all levels across our corporation through
employee-driven initiatives.
1.7 In 2021, a Truth and Reconciliation Staff Committee (TRSC) was formed with cross-
departmental representation to examine the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of
Canada’s 94 Calls to Action and identify recommendations that the Municipality could
take to move forward with reconciliation. The TRSC supports the education and
awareness of Staff and the community about reconciliation, special recognition days,
and engagement with Indigenous communities.
2. Initiatives to Support Diversity and Inclusion
2.1 In 2024, the IDEA Officer, in collaboration with the internal and external committees, will
be bringing forward to Council a multi-year IDEA Strategy in the Spring. The workplans
for the internal and external committees will be incorporated into the overall IDEA
Strategy.
2.2 To support diversity initiatives, and to remove systemic barriers, fees were waived for
commissioning services on Ontario’s change of name forms for certain demographic
groups. This supports Calls to Action #17, which asks all levels of government to enable
residential school survivors and their families to reclaim names changed by the
residential school system. Additionally, this initiative supports individuals from the
2SLGBTQI+ community who are going through the name change process.
Clarington Diversity Advisory Committee:
2.3 The Committee approved the development and implementation of an Equity and
Inclusion Lens Guidelines. The commitment for 2024 is to brand the guide, present to
Council for endorsement and to municipal departments for implementation.
2.4 The Committee increased its presence at various festivals and events across
Clarington. The goal for 2024 is to connect with festival and event organizers to discuss
ways to increase diversity and representation in the entertainment, vendors, food etc.
2.5 For 2024, there will be a greater focus on highlighting the work of the committee to
showcase Clarington’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the community.
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Clarington Anti-Black Racism Task Force:
2.6 The Committee supported the development of content for the Anti -Racism landing page
for the newly created Diversity, Inclusion and Equity webpage. The commitment for
2024 is to collaborate with Communications to use the Anti-Racism webpage to
highlight the work being done by the Task Force.
2.7 The Committee endorsed the development of an Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination
strategy for Clarington based on the results of the community anti-racism survey
completed in 2023. Some members of the Task Force have joined Staff from Clarington
and the Region of Durham to form a working committee to develop Clarington’s Anti-
Racism and Anti-Discrimination strategy in 2024.
2.8 A working group of the Task Force supported the implementation of the Black History
Month events in partnership with Clarington Library, Museums and Archives. The
committee will continue to be involved in the 2024 planning.
Diversity and Inclusion Staff Team
2.9 A new multi-faith prayer room and spiritual space was set up on the second floor of the
Municipal Administrative Centre. It is a space that is safe and inclusive. For 2024, the
DIST Committee will work with Community Services to identify a nother facility in
Clarington to setup a multi-faith and spiritual space so that Staff working in different
locations can access the space.
2.10 The Inclusive Language Guide was completed. An “ability” specific guide was shared
with Staff and included as a resource on the DEI page of the Hub . For 2024, the DIST
Committee will be working on uploading the remaining guides to the Hub.
2.11 The Committee supported the development and implementation of mandatory and
continuous learning IDEA staffing training, including anti-racism and gender diversity.
For 2024, the Committee will be working on identifying different ways to provide training
to part-time Staff.
2.12 Lanyards with Pride colours were ordered for staff. For 2024, Pride Flag pins and
Pronoun pins will be ordered.
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2.13 In honour of Pride Month, the Committee:
Truth and Reconciliation Staff Committee
2.14 Staff continue to examine the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action
and identify recommendations the Municipality could take to respond to the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous
Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People Calls for Justice.
2.15 A Land Acknowledgement Guide was created and shared on the Hub and website.
2.16 Through our partnership with Durham Region Aboriginal Circle, we partnered with
Durham Community Health Centre to host a Big Drum Circle in October 2023. We have
offered municipal space to host one of the 2024 Big Drum Circles in Clarington. In June
2023, we attended an Indigenous People’s Day event at City of Pickering and
collaborated with Clarington Library, Museums, and Archives to host an event
recognizing local Indigenous culture, art, and stories.
2.17 Council approved Resolution #GG 102-23, advocating to the federal government to
instate a wireless-device alert system which would send an emergency notification to
mobile devices when a missing Indigenous woman, girl and two-spirited person in their
region has been abducted or is believed to be in danger. This supports Calls for Justice
1.5, 1.9, 5.8 and 9.5 of the MMIWG Final Report.
Inclusive Communities
2.18 Clarington joined the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities in June 2022, a network of
close to 100 member municipalities in Canada. This supports the Municipality’s
commitment to address racism and discrimination through service delivery,
employment, and culture. Multiple action items were implemented as part of the
Municipality’s commitment to its’ anti-racism and discrimination strategy, as described
below.
2.19 Partnering with Ontario Tech to engage with individuals in the community through an
anti-racism and anti-discrimination survey. The purpose was to elicit feedback from
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community members who have experienced or witnessed racism and discrimination in
the community.
2.20 An Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Working Committee consisting of Municipal
Staff, select CDAC and CABRTF members and Durham Region Staff was created to
operationalize Project Charter: Anti-Racism and Anti-Discrimination Strategy – Creating
an Inclusive Community. This strategy and workplan is based on the findings from the
community survey. The Committee is continuing to develop and refine the workplan into
2024.
2.21 In April 2023, to solidify Council’s commitment to the Municipality’s IDEA strategy,
Council approved the Council Policy – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism and
Accessibility Training Plan for Council. The purpose of this policy is to support Members
of Council in recognizing, understanding, and addressing racism and discrimination.
The Policy commits Members of Council to participate in IDEAA related training,
coordinated by the IDEA Officer and the Accessibility Coordinator, within the first 18-
months (through a phased process) of each term of Council. Topics for training include,
but are not limited to, Indigenous Cultural Awareness, Anti-Racism, Gender Diversity,
Unconscious Bias, Cultural Competency, and Accessibility. This plan will continue until
June 2024.
Inclusion Lens Guidelines
2.22 A number of organizations and municipalities across Ontario implemented the Inclusion
Lens Guide in an effort to identify, eliminate or reduce any negative impacts or
unintended barriers when implementing new or reviewing existing initiatives. After
conversations with other municipalities, the guidelines were adapted to be applicable for
use in Clarington. The Inclusion Lens Guide was presented to and endorsed by the
Diversity Advisory and Accessibility Advisory Committees. In April 2024, the Guide will
be presented to Council and introduced to different departments as the final step for
adopting the guide.
Partnerships & Committees
2.23 Clarington Public Library, Museums, and Archives (CPLMA) continues to be a strong
partner in many ways for diversity, equity, and inclusion through community events,
Staff training opportunities and project and strategy development. Some examples of
this cross-collaboration include:
Staff training initiatives;
Representation on the Anti-Black Racism Task Force, Diversity and Inclusion
Staff Team, and the Truth and Reconciliation Staff Committee;
Community events: Clarington Celebrates Black History Month, National
Indigenous Peoples Day, National Remembrance Event – the 100th
Anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 and the Anti-Racism and
Discrimination Strategy; and
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For 2024, we will continue to collaborate with CLMA to identify and partner on
common training initiatives, events and celebrations related to IDEA.
2.24 As noted in the 2022 report, we collaborated in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) with
the Region of Durhams’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit. In addition to coordinating
regular networking of colleagues from across the Region in DEI, the following are
examples of this increased partnership:
Consultation for the installation of Orange Crosswalks across the Region.
Together We Rise Durham: Excellence Through the Arts; an in-person event held
in Oshawa attended by close to 200 people to celebrate Black History Month.
International Women’s Day celebration – in-person/hybrid event in Pickering with
the theme Radical Restructuring: Empowering Women for Tomorrow that
involved guest speakers, panel discussion, and displays from local service
providers. Over 200 community members attended this event .
Emancipation Day recognition event and recognition of the National Day for Truth
and Reconciliation.
2.25 Clarington joined other Durham municipalities and libraries to support the Children’s Aid
Society and participate in Youth Pride Durham and Drag Queen Storytime. Clarington
contributed time and resources to support the event and will continue to do so in 2024.
2.26 Staff also connected with the Carion Fenn Foundation – Durham Black Network to offer,
in partnership with the CPLMA, two Black Experience Town Hall events for the
community:
February 2023 event - focused on a discussion on systemic racism in healthcare.
Approximately 50 community members gathered to participate in these
discussions.
November 2023 event - focused on education and child welfare.
2.27 In 2022, Clarington was welcomed as a Durham Region Aboriginal Advisory Circle
member. This circle provides a forum for service providers, professionals, communities,
and organizations, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to consult, collaborate and
promote the collective health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples in the Durham
Region. We continue to collaborate and offer space for events.
Inclusive Workplace
2.28 Working with TalentMap, the Municipality of Clarington held its first Workforce
Demographic Survey in January 2023. TalentMap administered the survey to Staff and
collected the data to ensure confidentiality.
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2.29 The survey had a response rate of 52% (363 Staff) and allowed us to see which groups
are represented well within the Municipality and where there is an opportunity to
improve representation of the broader community we serve.
2.30 The survey also included some key Staff engagement questions. The results from the
survey will form our baseline measures for employee demographic, representation, and
engagement. By comparing these results to future surveys, we will be able to measure
improvements and positive changes related to diversity and inclusion.
2.31 The Human Resources Division also implemented a Diversity Recruitment strategy to
help increase the diversity of applicants applying for employment opportunities. They
have connected with agencies serving diverse populations to share job postings and
have identified job fairs to attend that will improve the diversity of applicants .
2.32 As a result of Senior Leadership approving the implementation of an Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Accessibility (IDEAA) Training plan for full and part-
time Staff, a number of mandatory and continuous learning opportunities were offered to
Staff.
2.33 Throughout the past year, the following IDEAA training opportunities were offered to
Staff:
Topic Number of Participants
Indigenous Cultural Awareness 72
Gender Diversity Basics 177 new employees completed course
Gender Diversity for Managers 86
Anti-Islamophobia 50
Additionally, a similar training policy by Council was approved and launched to support
Members of Council in recognizing, understanding, and addressing racism and
discrimination.
Topic Participants
Indigenous Cultural Awareness
Councillor Anderson
Councillor Woo
Councillor Elhajjeh
Councillor Zwart
Mayor Foster
Gender Diversity Basics
Councillor Anderson
Councillor Rang
Mayor Foster
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2.34 The Municipality of Clarington continued its relationship as an Employer Partner with the
Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). This membership demonstrates our
commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion and has provided Staff and Council
with access to a variety of resources and opportunities to support their learning through
resources, webinars, and events. The below chart is a summary of Clarington’s
participation in these programs.
Resource 2023 2022 2021 2020
(April to
December)
Webinars 44 56 64 154
Conference
Registrations
10 6 6 22
2.35 As noted in the 2022 report, after conversations prompted by Staff, a private multi-faith
prayer room and spiritual space was created at the Municipal Administrative Centre for
Staff. The space is available for prayer and reflection and is a safe and inclusive space
centred on respect. Staff are now exploring opportunities to offer spaces for this
purpose at satellite locations.
2.36 Clarington Human Resources Staff connected with the Welcome Centre Immigrant
Services and the Durham Region Unemployed Help Centre to share job postings and
direct qualified applicants to apply for our postings. As a municipality, staff also
presented at virtual workshops held by the organization to interact with and encourage
immigrant talent to consider applying to work with the Municipality of Clarington.
2.37 Recommended through Clarington’s participation in the Leading Equitable and
Accessible Delivery (LEAD) initiative, Clarington undertook a workforce demographic
survey in early 2023. A third-party company administered the confidential survey to
close to 700 employees. Highlights of the survey include:
Disability Inclusion This session was scheduled in November
2023. However, it has been rescheduled
to March 5, 2024 to ensure maximum
attendance.
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82% of the respondents feel training, and learning opportunities are offered to
support their understanding of topics of diversity and inclusion.
88% say their colleagues make them feel included at work and that people in
their team work effectively with each other regardless of differences (i.e. age,
gender, race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, etc .)
61% feel our workforce reflects the diversity of the community.
Of the respondents, the majority identified as White (82%), of no religious
affiliation (50%) or Christian (31%), not a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
(91%), and do not have a disability (75%).
2.38 This survey information will inform a future diversity recruitment strategy that will
address barriers and ensure we reach candidates from diverse communities to apply for
jobs with the Municipality. It will also help in planning programs, support, and resources
for our employees.
3. Financial Considerations
Not Applicable.
4. Concurrence
Not Applicable.
5. Strategic Plan
L.1.4: Take steps to ensure our staff team is diverse and inclusive, representative of the
community it serves.
C.1.3: Strengthen existing and build new partnerships with upper levels of government,
academia, businesses, community groups and other sectors.
C.3.1: Recognize and celebrate the growing diversity of the community.
C.3.2: Reduce barriers to municipal programs, services and infrastructure.
C.3.3: Develop and implement the Indigenous Engagement and Relationship Building
Strategy.
C.3.4: Continue to commit to responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to
Action.
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6. Conclusion
It is respectfully recommended that the report on the update of the diversity and
inclusion activities in Clarington be received for information. While there has been
significant work completed in 2023, much work remains to be done, to achieve the goal
of an inclusive community. Staff, with the support of Clarington’s Diversity Advisory
Committee, Anti-Black Racism Task Force, Truth and Reconciliation Staff Committee
and the Diversity and Inclusion Staff Team are confident we will see many
accomplishments over the next few years.
Staff Contact: Pinder DaSilva, IDEA Officer, pdasilva@clarington.net or June Gallagher,
Municipal Clerk, Legislative Services, JGallagher@clarington.net
Attachments:
Not Applicable
Interested Parties:
The following interested parties will be notified of Council's decision:
Clarington Diversity Advisory Committee
Clarington Anti-Black Racism Task Force