​BRAMPTON, ON (June 17, 2021) – On June 16, Brampton City Council unanimously pledged to join The BlackNorth Initiative.

By pledging and signing the initiative, the City of Brampton joins more than 450 global organizations working towards eliminating anti-Black systemic barriers negatively affecting the lives of Black Canadians.

This partnership will complement the work of the City’s Economic Empowerment & Anti-Black Racism Unit, under the Equity Office, and allow access to the organization’s robust network of experts for Brampton’s Black community, allow for broader networking opportunities, provide mentorship, and build partnership and collaboration opportunities for future engagements.

The City continues to take action to address anti-Black racism in our city. On June 10, 2020, Brampton City Council unanimously approved a motion to create a Black African and Caribbean Social, Cultural and Economic Empowerment & Anti-Black Racism Unit. The Unit aims to develop an action plan to eradicate systemic anti-Black racism in Brampton with guidance from local community stakeholders, and uplift the social, cultural and economic position of Brampton's Black community. Over the past year, the Unit has held many community and stakeholder engagements and events to foster better relationships with the Black community, as well as with education and government agencies/organizations.

The Unit continues to have important strategic and in-depth consultations with the Black community and stakeholders, and this will play a key role in the development of an action plan that identifies initiatives to address systemic barriers that exist in the city. Learn more about the Unit at brampton.ca/antiblackracism.

About The BlackNorth Initiative
Led by The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism, The BlackNorth Initiative was founded in 2020 to respond to the glaring inequalities seen across corporate Canada and remove the anti-Black systemic barriers negatively affecting the lives of Black Canadians. The BlackNorth Initiative’s mission is to increase the representation of Blacks in boardrooms and executive suites across Canada. While providing support to corporate Canada pledgees, The BlackNorth Initiative has also developed and implemented several core programs aimed at supporting Black Canadians across a range of areas, including business mentorship, a homeownership bridge program, and a mental health program for Black youth. Learn more at blacknorth.ca.

About the Equity Office
The City of Brampton is advancing the Term of Council Priority Brampton is a Mosaic by laying the foundations of an Equity Office to serve its employees and citizens. The Equity Office, which houses the Economic Empowerment & Anti-Black Racism Unit, will work to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and promote a harmonious environment both inside the City and for its residents. In November 2019, the City of Brampton launched a new five-year Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Work Plan, which sets out opportunities to foster a more inclusive organizational culture that engages, develops and celebrates its people, and attracts a diverse workforce.

Quotes
“This pledge reaffirms the City of Brampton’s commitment to end systemic racism in our city. Working closely with, and building on the important work of, our Economic Empowerment & Anti-Black Racism Unit, we’ll have a broader perspective and reach into the Black community to listen, learn and commit to making real, impactful changes that will help remove systemic barriers that exist in our city.”
- Patrick Brown, Mayor, City of Brampton

“Over the past year, the City’s Economic Empowerment & Anti-Black Racism Unit has set the foundation and is now working towards an in-depth community consultation process, which will help develop a holistic five-year action plan to embed diversity across the city. Working with external organizations, such as The BlackNorth Initiative, and building community partnerships will play a crucial role in helping us develop this plan and lean on a network of experts to bring this plan to action.”
- David Barrick, Chief Administrative Officer, City of Brampton

“The BlackNorth Initiative fills and identifies a massive vacuum – the lack of support for Black businesses and professionals in corporate Canada. This is an opportunity for corporations and influencers to assume a level of social responsibility in the elimination of systematic barriers for racialized communities across the country. Their advocacy for success and involvement of Black talent, businesses, youth, and the community is admirable. This is an unprecedented initiative and I’m very excited about the possibilities to come.”
- Gwyneth Chapman, Senior Advisor, Economic Empowerment and Anti-Black Racism, City of Brampton