Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Roundtable

Accessibility Action Plan

In the fall of 2023, the City adopted its first Accessibility Action Plan.  The Accessibility Action Plan aims to build on the City’s previous and ongoing work to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility, involve those with diverse abilities, promote inclusion, and foster a positive and respectful community through the City’s actions and services.   The EDI Roundtable, along with organizations representing people with disabilities, acted as the City’s Accessibility Committee to provide input into the Plan.  Their input enabled a deeper understanding of lived experiences and the creation of meaningful actions to remove barriers to accessibility. 

The EDI Roundtable provided ongoing input into initiatives identified as priorities in the Plan, including informing education on accessibility initiatives and services in the City and sharing opportunities to build greater inclusion in our facilities. 

Celebrating and Building Connection

The City recognizes the importance of engaging and including culturally diverse members of our community.   With input from EDI Roundtable members and the senior’s community, the City hosted its first Lunar New Year celebration with huge success and positive feedback.  Input from EDI Members, also led to additional responses and ways to celebrate and build connection – from engaging parents to create Ramadan art in our Preschool programs to supporting a community-led Diwali celebration – the City’s first.

Social Inclusion

EDI Members provided feedback to our Communications team on the development of the City’s new website.    Member’s input was valuable as the City considers how we can best communicate and share information to our diverse community.   In addition, Terry Fox Library led it’s first Library Champion Project.  This program engages new immigrants to connect with other new immigrants and act as ambassadors to build social inclusion for newcomers.   The City continues to recognize awareness days and months in order to bring greater knowledge, understanding and appreciation of diversity in the City of Port Coquitlam.

Learning Opportunities

Tri-City Local Immigration Partnership (TCLIP) is a valued community partner and through conversations with EDI Roundtable, the City shared TCLIP’s Anti-Racism toolkit as part of Anti-Racism Awareness Week.   Members learned about TCLIP initiatives and opportunities to become further involved in this work. Discussion around further community learning opportunities are being explored.   

Anti-Racial Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy

In 2022, Council unanimously adopted the City’s first Anti-Racial Discrimination and Anti-Racism Policy, an important demonstration of commitment to Equity, Diversity and inclusion (EDI) in Port Coquitlam. The development of this policy involved EDI roundtable members providing input and lived experience to give a better understanding of the local realities of racism and the importance of this policy for the City. EDI members also provided input on how the City can best train and build capacity with staff to uphold this policy and continue to create a safe and respectful workplace for all.

Proclamation for International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

EDI roundtable members attended a special Council Meeting and received the City of Port Coquitlam’s Proclamation recognizing March 21st as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. EDI members addressed Council and spoke to the importance of this day in bringing awareness to the reality of racial discrimination and the importance of acknowledging this internationally recognized day as one step on the journey to towards building a more welcoming, inclusive, equitable and safe community.

Community Education and Awareness

The EDI roundtable identified the importance of recognizing awareness days and months to bring greater knowledge, understanding and appreciation of diversity in the City of Port Coquitlam. EDI members compiled a list of days of acknowledgement and cultural celebrations, along with providing input into a communication and community engagement plan. The addition of these cultural celebrations and days of acknowledgement in the City’s communication mediums and community engagement work will help increase and encourage inclusion, awareness, and acceptance.

Promoting Social Inclusion

Input from EDI roundtable members promoted actions to removing barriers and building further welcoming and inclusive City events.  In addition to increasing awareness and acceptance, it is important for all members of our community to see themselves reflected, included and honoured in the City’s celebrations. EDI roundtable members were part of planning the inclusion of a greater breadth of diverse voices in events, including our May Days and Canada Day events. EDI roundtable input also led to the inclusion of American Sign Language and sensory friendly spaces at City events.

Community Partnerships

The EDI roundtable took part in discussions and collaborations with organizations to build our community capacity and build new relationships with community change agents. During Asian Heritage Month, the Asian Impact Society presented to the EDI roundtable and spoke to their organization’s goals to raise awareness on Asian racial injustice and build inclusive communities through unity, compassion, empathy and education. Downtown PoCo BIA also attended an EDI roundtable meeting to discuss opportunities to work together and support further inclusion. This led to Downtown PoCo BIA sponsoring the City’s PoCo Pride event to celebrate the LGBTQ2IA+ community.

Setting a Foundation

Since the Roundtable began in meeting in the fall of 2020, members have offered their insight and expertise to establish a Terms of Reference that outlines the mandate, roles and opportunities that will point the way to a more equitable and inclusive City. The year also included the critical work of establishing a safe space for the EDI Roundtable’s diverse voices to come together, build trust and open doors to engagement.

Education

In response to the feedback provided by the EDI Roundtable, training and education for all City employees was implemented in 2021 to provide staff with tools to create and uphold a respectful, safe and inclusive workplace and community. Further education took place through the BC Human Right’s Commission and the Tri-city Local immigration Partnership’s Anti-Racism Initiative: Dismantling Barriers and Fostering Inclusion.

Anti-Racism Policy

As part of drafting the City’s first Anti-Racism Policy, EDI Roundtable members provided input and lived experiences to give a better understanding of the local realities of racism and the importance of a policy of its kind for the City.

Improving Social Inclusion

The need for the City to promote the respect, knowledge, and appreciation of diversity and the inclusion of Indigenous and racialized communities in the cultural fabric of our City was a focus for the EDI Roundtable. This inspired neighborhood development initiatives such as the Little Library Read in Color Program and the inclusion of a greater breadth of diverse voices in events, including our May Days, Canada Day and Port Coquitlam’s first Pride in PoCo event.