Employment Equity in the City of Toronto

The Corporate Services Committee recommends the adoption of Recommendation No. (1) (ii) to (iv) of the Employment Equity Advisory Committee, embodied in the communication (June8, 1998) from the Committee Administrator, Employment Equity Advisory Committee, viz:

"The Employment Equity Advisory Committee recommends that:

(1)City Council affirm its commitment to employment equity that incorporates the following principles and practices:

(ii)a corporate employment equity plan which is proactive and includes special programs, and which is results oriented;

(iii)a mechanism for monitoring downsizing, hiring, promotions, and appointments, as well as measuring outcomes and results; and

(iv)public reporting of results through an annual report to City Council".

The Corporate Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1)referred Recommendation No. (1) (i) embodied in the communication (June 8, 1998) from the Committee Administrator, Employment Equity Advisory Committee, to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity for consideration in the Task Force's final report; and

(2)requested the Executive Director of Human Resources to submit a report to the Corporate Services Committee:

(i)on the current status of Employment Equity programmes in the City of Toronto, and recommending a strategy to ensure that the policies already in place in the former municipalities are maintained until such time as a new City-wide policy is adopted by Council; and

(ii)suggesting a leadership role that the City of Toronto can take respecting Employment Equity, including pro-active measures in contract compliance and whether the City can legally enforce these measures.

The Corporate Services Committee submits the following communication (June 8, 1998) from the Committee Administrator, Employment Equity Advisory Committee:

Recommendations:

The Employment Equity Advisory Committee recommends that:

(1)City Council affirm its commitment to employment equity that incorporates the following principles and practices:

(i)an advisory committee, which includes representation from community organizations, equity advisory committees, bargaining agents, and staff;

(ii)a corporate employment equity plan which is proactive and includes special programs, and which is results oriented;

(iii)a mechanism for monitoring downsizing, hiring, promotions, and appointments, as well as measuring outcomes and results; and

(iv)public reporting of results through an annual report to City Council; and

(2)the Corporate Services Committee schedule this matter for deputations at its meeting on September 14, 1998, and equity seeking organizations and individuals be invited to address the Committee.

Background:

The Employment Equity Advisory Committee was established by the former Toronto City Council to provide advice on policy and program direction, and which reported through the Personnel and Executive Committees. The former Toronto City Council recommended that the new Toronto City Council retain an Employment Equity Advisory Committee which includes representation from community organizations, municipal equity advisory committees, bargaining agents, and staff.

Comments:

At its meeting on May 20, 1998, the Employment Equity Advisory Committee discussed the importance of the City of Toronto affirming its commitment to employment equity for the present period of downsizing and restructuring, and for the long-term. The Committee also discussed the scheduling of an educational forum in the fall, 1998 to raise awareness and consider issues regarding implementation of employment equity.

The Committee strongly emphasized that the framework for employment equity include the following:

(i)an advisory committee, which includes representation from community organizations, equity advisory committees, bargaining agents, and staff;

(ii)a corporate employment equity plan which is proactive and includes special programs, and which is results oriented;

(iii)a mechanism for monitoring downsizing, hiring, promotions, and appointments, as well as measuring outcomes and results; and

(iv)public reporting of results through an annual report to City Council.

The Employment Equity Advisory Committee recommends that City Council affirm its commitment to an Employment Equity Program that incorporates the principles and practices set out above for the present period of downsizing and restructuring, and for the long-term.

The Employment Equity Advisory Committee requests that the Corporate Services Committee schedule this matter for deputations and that equity seeking organizations and individuals be invited to address the Corporate Services Committee.

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The Corporate Services Committee reports for the information of Council, also having had before it a communication (October 6, 1998) from Mr. Michael Smith, Chairperson, Advocacy Committee, Municipal Equality and Access Network, advising that the Municipal Equality and Access Network is an organization of human rights, equality, access and human resources professionals which, since its inception as the Municipal Employment Equity Network in 1985, has worked to encourage and promote the development of initiatives relating to employment equity, equality and access in its member organizations which represent municipal governments and associated Agencies, Boards and Commissions throughout Ontario; that the policy and structural framework described by the Employment Equity Advisory Committee will allow for Toronto's continuing success and leadership in such issues; that reaffirmation of this commitment in a period of voluntary compliance and organizational restructuring will ensure that the fundamental importance of the issues will not be diminished, and momentum toward achievement of equality will not be lost; and encouraging the Corporate Services Committee to support the June 8, 1998, recommendations of the Employment Equity Advisory Committee respecting Employment Equity in the City of Toronto.

The following persons appeared before the Corporate Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Antoni Shelton, Executive Director, Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Gus Ashawasega; Aboriginal Liaison Consultant for the City of Toronto;

-Ms. Ratna Omidvar, Executive Director, Maytree Foundation;

-Mr. Tariq Khan, Alliance for Employment Equity;

-Ms. Charyl Gaster, Committee on the Status of Women;

-Mr. Stefan Kipfer, Metro Network for Social Justice, Steering Committee, and submitted a brief in regard thereto;

-Mr. Michael Kerr, Karuna Community Services; and

-Councillor Pam McConnell, Don River.

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(A copy of the attachments to the foregoing communication (June 8, 1998) from the Employment Equity Advisory Committee were forwarded to all Members of Council with the October 9, 1998, agenda of the Corporate Services Committee and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk.)