EXTERNAL REVIEW IDENTIFIES SYSTEMIC RACISM AT CITY

The City of Brampton says it will adopt all recommendations in the wake of a damning report on the experience of Black city workers that identified systemic racism and several other concerns.

The city hired Williams HR Consulting Inc. in the fall of 2020 to conduct a "privileged and confidential independent review into the experiences of Black employees at the city, including an assessment of processes, policies and procedures, to assess the existence and/or scope of discriminatory experiences or practices."

The city recently released an executive summary of the third-party review, which was completed in December 2021.

"The review specifically focuses on experiences and observations of city employees related to direct, indirect, subtle and systemic discrimination and manifestations of antiBlack racism," read the executive summary of the report.

The consulting firm said it relied on definitions of systemic discrimination and racism from the the Black Health Alliance while conducting its review and investigation. The review was conducted as part of the city's Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Work Plan implemented by city council in June 2020.

After conducting interviews and focus groups with 32 city employees "identified as having knowledge related to the subject matter of the review," and reviewing documentary evidence, the review team found that "diversity throughout the city's departments and divisions is widely variable" and that "Black and racialized employees are concentrated at lower levels of the organizational hierarchy."

It also found that in some city departments, Black and racialized employees are most often employed in precarious employment roles.

The report added that while Black and racialized participants noted some recent improvements in their workplace culture, a "culture of fear" at the city remains, and that hiring practices were inconsistent among departments as it relates to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

"Most Black and racialized participants shared personal experiences of differential and discriminatory treatment," read the report, while also noting "nepotism is viewed as a significant issue in hiring practices across multiple departments."

"Black participants are wary of diversification efforts, which they perceive to be flawed, disingenuous, and ultimately ineffective at yielding more Black hires," the report added.

This isn't the first time employees at the City of Brampton have raised concerns about nepotism being a problem at the city. While not focused on racism and EDI, a separate external review of the city's road maintenance, operations and fleet department in 2020 also included widespread reports of nepotism and unfair hiring practices from city workers.

Williams HR Consulting Inc. made several recommendations in its report including:

• Formulating clear strategies and allocating sufficient resources to EDI initiatives.

• Repairing ruptures and fostering a sense of transparency and trust.

• Improving the recruitment, retention and advancement of Black employees through data-driven efforts.

• Developing a Code of Conduct that specifically addresses anti-Black harassment and discrimination.

• Conducting robust and regular training, and implementing accountability mechanisms.

• Conducting clear and regular training on the policies, as well as on harassment and discrimination generally.

In a release on May 5, the city said it will implement the recommendations outlined in the report.

"As the first Black woman elected to Brampton city council, I am proud that the City of Brampton continues to take steps to create a safe, accessible, anti-racist and inclusive environment," said Wards 7 and 8 Coun. Charmaine Williams. "This third-party review shows that while the city has begun to address diversity, equity, inclusion and racism, we have more work to do."