News Release
June 1, 2017
Historic Legislation Promotes Equity for Racialized and Indigenous Peoples
Ontario passed legislation today that positions the province as a leader in fighting systemic racism and advancing racial equity for all.
The Anti-Racism Act, 2017 strengthens the government’s commitment to identify and combat systemic racism in policies, programs and services and build a fair society where everyone is provided equal opportunity.
The legislation:
- Establishes the Anti-Racism Directorate in legislation to ensure its sustainability
- Requires the continuation and regular review of a multi-year anti-racism strategy, ensuring the sustainability and accountability of the government’s anti-racism work
- Mandates a review of the anti-racism strategy at least every five years, in consultation with the public and community partners
- Enables the government to implement race data collection and an anti-racism impact assessment tool, to help identify, remedy or prevent inequitable racial impacts of policies and programs.
Ontario will continue working with Indigenous and racialized communities, including those impacted by anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism and other forms of racism, to ensure their voices are heard and reflected in government’s anti-racism efforts.
Fighting systemic racism and advancing racial equity is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
“Ontario is taking a stance against systemic racism, positioning our province as an anti-racism leader in the country. This legislation will enable us to build greater racial equity, and build an even stronger Ontario by fighting systemic racism, including anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, antisemitism, Islamophobia and discrimination facing other racialized communities.”
says Michael Coteau, Minister Responsible for Anti-Racism
