York Region marks five years of the Inclusion Charter
Newmarket – York Regional Council received an update on the Inclusion Charter for York Region. Since the charter was first endorsed in 2018, the Region continues to advance many actions and initiatives for creating equality for all who work, live and play across our nine local cities and towns.
“York Region is one of Canada's fastest-growing and diverse regions with residents from over 230 ethnic origins speaking 120 languages,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson. “Our diversity is our strength, and we remain committed to working alongside our various partners for strong, caring and safe communities.”
The charter is a community initiative bringing together local municipalities, police services, hospitals, school boards, conservation authorities, community agencies and other partners with a common commitment to create inclusive environments across the Region.
Recent events such as discrimination and inequalities experienced by some communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increase in hate crimes in 2022, have highlighted the importance of the Inclusion Charter. Guided by the Municipal Diversity and Inclusion Group, the collaboration is implementing initiatives, including the Inclusive Language Guide and the #EndHateYR Campaign, to increase a sense of belonging and decrease incidences of hate crimes.
Internally, York Region has established an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility division to strengthen its corporate commitment to the Inclusion Charter. Efforts to address anti-Black racism, promote equity and belonging in the workplace and ensure accessibility of programs and services strengthen our internal commitment to inclusion.
“To date, 36 organizations have endorsed the Inclusion Charter,” said City of Vaughan Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, Chair of the Region’s Community and Health Services. “These organizations share the vision of building a welcoming and inclusive York Region where diversity is celebrated and where everyone can develop to their full potential, participate freely in society and live with respect, dignity and freedom from discrimination.”
As endorsement expands, so does the collective commitment and reach of actions to help create welcoming and inclusive communities.
York Region’s commitment to inclusion continues to be recognized by the United Nations. Earlier this year, our collective agreement with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research was renewed and focuses on advancing social inclusion and sustainable development and fostering support of collaborative actions to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information, visit york.ca/inclusiveYR
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.2 million residents and 55,600 businesses with more than 615,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices
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Media Contact:
Eman Ali, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Phone: 1-877-464-9675, ext. 71207 Cell: 289-231-1318 [email protected]
