Diversity, equity, and inclusion

We're removing barriers and improving access to our programs, services and facilities for people of all abilities.

Refer to Accessibility Planning at Peel Region.

As an accountable government and community leader, in August 2021, Peel Region released an anti-racism and systemic discrimination statement. The statement is as follows: 

As an accountable government we are responsible for ensuring all residents benefit equally from public polices, programs and services.

As an organization we commit to learning, addressing, and eradicating systemic discrimination, past and present, that undermines the goal of equitable and accessible regional programs and services. 

We are on a journey. Acknowledging there is a crisis in Peel is a first step. There is still much more work that needs to be done and we are committed. 

Peel Region is continuing its commitment to advancing equitable access to housing through the BlackNorth Initiative (BNI) Homeownership program.

With the help of a $2.5 million grant from Peel Region Council, BNI supports Black Peel renter households with funding under BNI’s Homeownership Bridge Program. The program will help Black households overcome barriers to homeownership by providing $50,000 in down payment assistance to eligible participants through a shared-equity mortgage program.

A key milestone is the partnership with the Mount Pleasant Commons development in Brampton, a 136-unit mixed housing community currently under construction with completion anticipated in 2028.

Visit BlackNorth to learn more about the program and the Council report.

DEAR advises Regional Council on systemic barriers and diversity issues in the community that relate to the Region's policies, programs and services.

• DEAR committee members
• DEAR agendas and minutes

DEAR advises Regional Council about systemic barriers and diversity issues in the community — both external and internal — that might impact Regional policies, programs, and services.

DEAR Committee members are volunteers.

Areas of focus include:

• Anti-racism
• Anti-Black racism
• Equity
• Inclusion
• Approaches to training and accountability

Creating a more equitable, accessible, and inclusive Peel is an ongoing journey. We are strengthening the knowledge, systems, and practices that support belonging, improve service experiences, and better reflect the diverse communities we serve.

As part of this work, we have:

• Expanded our work to address hate and discrimination by promoting respect, inclusion, and community well-being.
• Collected demographic data to better understand our workforce and use data to identify opportunities, reduce barriers, and inform decision-making.
• Completed various internal assessments to better understand current practices, gaps and opportunities for improvement.
• Implemented Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) recommendations to strengthen policies, practices, learning, and workplace culture.
• Developed and implemented DEI@Peel, a long-term strategy informed by employee and community engagement that guides how we advance Reconciliation, Equity, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI).

We're proud members of:

• The Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities
• The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion
• Signal49 Research

We formally recognize and respect the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and their territories. We're grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land, and by doing so, give our respect to its first inhabitants.

Read the Peel Region land acknowledgement.

Resources

• Immigration and Ethnic Diversity Data
• Culture Strategy Text version
• Newcomer Profiles

Glossary

Systemic Barrier: Refers to policies, practices or procedures that result in some people receiving unequal access or being excluded from participation. This is also experienced as discrimination.

Anti-Black Racism: Anti-Black racism is prejudice, attitudes, beliefs, stereotyping and discrimination that is directed at people of African descent and is rooted in their unique history and experience of enslavement and its legacy.

Systemic Discrimination: Systemic discrimination can be described as patterns of behaviour, policies or practices that are part of the structures of an organization, and which create or perpetuate disadvantage for racialized persons.