Toronto is in a position to play a leadership role on access, equity and human rights issues in Canada through its multiple roles as an employer, service provider, contractor, government and advocate. The diversity of Toronto's populations, as well as the levels of disadvantage experienced by various groups means on-going monitoring and concerted action are needed to ensure "inclusion" by all groups in the social, cultural, economic and public life of the City.
Toronto City Council is following up on the work of the 1999 Task Force on Community Access and Equity through the establishment of a Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights.
In December 1999, Council approved the final report and action plan of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity. The 97 recommendations included the establishment of five city-wide community advisory committees which have as their focus:
These advisory committees provide a formal mechanism for Council to obtain community advice on a variety of issues.
On January 16, 2002, the Diversity Advocate met with the City's five Community Advisory Committees, and the following common priority issues were identified:
- poverty reduction
- housing
- public transit and transportation
- youth leadership and elimination of youth violence
- employment
- policing
- education
- public awareness
- community outreach
Other issues were included in the workplans of each committee. Changing or improving services and policies in these areas benefits everyone, even though a specific group faces a specific barrier:
- pay equity
- sexual assault
- information and communications to improve access to services for marginalized groups
- access to recreation programs
- daycare services
- multi-lingual communications
- the City budget process
- urban Aboriginal issues
- health and addictions
- domestic violence
- accessibility to buildings
- accreditation of foreign credentials
- diversity training
