News release: October 14, 2021
Region of Peel Furthers Commitment to BlackNorth Pledge
Region contributing towards affordable housing options for Black residents
Brampton, ON. (October 14, 2021) – The Region is providing a one-time grant of $2.5 million to BlackNorth to support affordable housing for Black Peel residents. Through this grant, 50 eligible Peel households under the BlackNorth Home Ownership Bridge Program will have the opportunity for home ownership. The Region recognizes that home ownership contributes to generational wealth.
The BlackNorth Initiative aims to remove barriers to progress, including systemic barriers that exist in housing, education, justice, policing, and in the corporate world, where people of colour face significant obstacles to advancement.
Peel Regional Council unanimously voted to join the BlackNorth Initiative in early 2021, further supporting the Region’s 2020 anti-Black racism motion. Peel Region is among many public sector organizations to take the BlackNorth Pledge and is joined by more than 500 businesses that have signed onto the BlackNorth Initiative.
131,000 Peel residents identify as Black, making The BlackNorth Initiative relevant and welcomed. This represents 15.3% of the total visible minority population in Peel.
By signing the BlackNorth pledge, the Region of Peel reaffirms its commitments in the following areas:
- We will increase our efforts to make our workplaces trusting places to have complex, and sometimes difficult conversations about anti-Black systemic racism and ensure that no barriers exist to prevent Black employees from advancing within the organization.
- We will implement or expand unconscious bias and anti-racism education.
- We will share best – and unsuccessful – practices.
- We will create and share strategic inclusion and diversity plans with our Leaders.
- We will use our resources to work with members of the Black community through the BlackNorth Initiative.
- We will engage Canada’s corporate governance framework.
- We will create the conditions for success.
For more information about the BlackNorth Pledge visit our diversity page.
Media contact
Denise McDonough
Communication Specialist
Region of Peel
647-262-6549
About Peel Region
In 2024, Peel Region marks its 50th anniversary. Peel Region works with residents and partners to create a healthy, safe, and connected Community for Life for approximately 1.5 million people and over 200,000 businesses in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. Peel's services touch the lives of residents every day. For more information explore peelregion.ca and follow us on X @regionofpeel and Instagram @peelregion.ca.
On December 13, 2023, the Ontario government announced that Peel Region will not be dissolved, and that Bill 112 legislation will be updated to reflect service delivery in Peel. Services for residents and businesses will continue without interruption. For updates and more information, visit Peel's transition page.
