Equity & Reconciliation for Recovery

The City of Toronto is committed to equity and reconciliation. The City’s vision statement on Access, Equity and Diversity recognizes the diverse communities and groups that make up Toronto’s population and affirms the City’s commitment to reducing barriers and creating an environment of equity.

The City has also made a commitment to reconciliation and has one of the first municipal Indigenous Affairs Offices (IAO) in Canada. A major milestone was achieved on April 6, 2022, when Toronto City Council adopted the City’s first Reconciliation Action Plan. The Reconciliation Action Plan builds upon the City’s existing commitments to Indigenous Peoples to advance truth, justice and reconciliation through 28 meaningful actions. It was developed over three years with input from First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members, organizations, Elders, Knowledge Carriers, youth, and Indigenous employees and allies in the Toronto Public Service. A key priority for the City will be addressing barriers and colonial practices embedded in its policies, processes and practices in order to better serve Indigenous residents in Toronto. The implementation of the Reconciliation Action Plan will help strengthen the Toronto Public Service and contribute to the visibility and overall wellbeing of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in Toronto through placemaking and placekeeping, supporting economic development and prosperity, increasing civic engagement, honouring Indigenous ways of knowing and being, and recognizing rights to self-determination and self-governance.

Key Resources and Strategies

The City’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy includes the support of a City unit, Council advisory committee and Partnership and Accountability Circle
The City’s initiatives for Indigenous residents includes an Aboriginal employment strategy, Council Advisory Committee and other partnerships
The City has a range of other equity initiatives including a youth equity strategy, a seniors strategy, a newcomer strategy and other community initiatives
Central to the City’s COVID-19 recovery is collaboration with the City’s experts advancing these key equity priorities

Equity & Reconciliation Recovery Actions

The City strives to apply an equity lens to its activities to identify and remove barriers and to support best practices in planning, budgeting, implementation and evaluation of its programs and services.

Equity & Reconciliation Recovery Initiatives by Theme

City Building & Mobility

City moves forward on program to create Cultural Districts to support the cultural identity and cultural heritage of local communities
City’s Rapid Housing Initiative supports development of 5,200 affordable rental homes for Indigenous community in partnership with Indigenous organizations
Planning and Housing Committee recommends review of public engagement to improve equity in planning processes
City allocates additional $2 million to build Nathan Phillips Square Spirit Garden to honour residential school survivors and the children lost to their families and communities
An overview of the City’s process to update the Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines to reflect changes to the Ontario Building Code and AODA standards, best practices and feedback from stakeholders
The RapidTO initiative will increase bus capacity and reliability on some of the busiest surface transit routes in the city, improving access to employment, healthcare and community services

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updated on City Building & Mobility

Business & Economic Recovery

City examines measures to support 2SLGBTQ small businesses and cultural spaces
Council supports Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Excellence to provide entrepreneurial resources by and for the Indigenous community
Toronto City Council has approved the development of a Cultural Districts Program, which is designed to support community cohesion in culturally-distinct neighbourhoods, as well as protect their resources and businesses, particularly those in Indigenous and racialized communities
City staff delivered a presentation to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee about accessibility in the City’s Digital Infrastructure Plan
The Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan report responds to the need for immediate and comprehensive action to address the problem of food insecurity experienced by many Black Torontonians
The Economic and Culture Recovery Advisory Group’s report, Building Back Stronger, adopted by Council in December 2020, included anti-racism and inclusion as a priority action area
The City Manager’s Recovery update report to City Council in March 2021 reported that investments totaling $1.2 million had been made towards Toronto’s Black arts and culture community and business sector to address the systemic economic, social and cultural exclusion facing Black communities in Toronto
The same report also highlighted the City’s advocacy for paid sick leave, lack of access to which disproportionally affects low-paid essential workers
City Council authorized the receipt of up to $4,000,000 in funds from Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre for use towards the Nathan Phillips Square Indian Residential School Survivors Restoration of Identity Project

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updates on Business & Economic Recovery.

People, Housing & Neighbourhoods

City’s new Multi-Unit Residential Acquisition program will support non non-profit and Indigenous housing providers to protect affordable housing for Toronto residents
FedDev Ontario announced support for the Nia Centre for the Arts, Canada’s first multi-disciplinary professional arts space for Black artists and residents in Toronto
City Council has authorized the City to enter into a 20-year sublease agreement with Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society on Spadina Rd.
Toronto City Council approved the implementation of the Toronto Black Food Sovereignty Plan aimed to improve health outcomes of Black populations throughout Toronto and improve access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food
The City announced it will advance the development of 5,200 affordable rental homes for the Indigenous community, in partnership with the Miziwe Biik Development Corporation
A report to City Council with an overview of SDFA’s work to advance reconciliation and equity through the use of Community Investment funding was provided in April 2021
In Fall 2020, the City of Toronto entered into a partnership with the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council to develop the Tkaronto Prosperity Plan to address the needs of Indigenous residents living in poverty
City Council asked staff to report to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee on an intersectional approach to support equity-seeking groups, including persons with disabilities experience homelessness, to access housing with appropriate supports, and that report was provided in June 2021

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updates on People, Housing & Neighbourhoods.

Climate Action & Resilience

Indigenous inclusion and consultation in the Toronto Ravines Strategy and Stewardship Manual
City Council supports review of the options for the environmentally and culturally-sensitive dispersal of funeral ashes and to report in early 2022

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updates on Climate Action & Resilience.

A Well-Run City & City Finances

New North York community recreation centre and library to be named Ethennonnhawahstihnen’ in celebration of the Huron-Wendat Nation. Pronounced Etta-nonna wasti-nuh, the Wendat word means “where they had a good, beautiful life”
The City applied an equity and reconciliation lens to the 2022 Operating Budget to identify and address barriers that may be experienced by Indigenous, Black and equity-seeking communities. All 2022 operating budget enhancements and reductions were reviewed by an external review panel which received presentations from select divisions and agencies whose proposed budget changes have equity impacts
The Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee is exploring the feasibility of a financial structure that may be developed to support members of the Black community to own property in Little Jamaica
The City applied an equity and reconciliation lens to the 2021 Operating Budget to identify and address barriers that may be experienced by Indigenous, Black and equity-seeking communities. All 2021 Operating Budget enhancements and reductions were reviewed by an external review panel which received presentations from select divisions and agencies whose proposed budget changes have equity impacts
Two new City Council Advisory Committees held their first meetings: the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Advisory Committee and the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updates on A Well-Run City & City Finance.

Public Health & Safe Reopening

City Council adopted recommendations from the City’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee and directed the City Manager to work with the Provincial and Federal governments to establish an intergovernmental table to address the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities
Mayor Tory announced the extension of the City’s COVID-19 vaccine engagement program from January 1 to July 1, 2022 to ensure that equity-deserving populations continue to have opportunities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Toronto City Council adopted recommendations from the Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity surrounding global vaccination efforts, socio-demographic data collection, and the provision of mental health supports in the post-pandemic recovery phase
The City’s Medical Officer of Health presented information to the Toronto Accessibility Advisory Committee on efforts to enable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for people with disabilities. Toronto City Council has adopted recommendations from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health to better enable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for people with disabilities and equity-deserving groups
The City’s Medical Officer of Health provided an update to the Board of Health on the implementation of the Toronto Indigenous Health Strategy 2016-2021

The Board of Health also received the following presentations:

Presentation on Community Engagement and Mobilization Plan. This presentation described the City’s engagement strategy related to vaccination and collaborative approach with community organizations, Members of Council and other partners to ensure vaccines reach as many Torontonians as possible
Presentation from Toronto’s Accessibility Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccines. This presentation makes recommendations on how to close equity gaps in vaccination among people with disabilities and their caregivers
Presentation from the Black Scientists’ Task Force on Vaccine Equity: A Brief Overview of Town Hall Engagements and Findings. This presentation includes findings from consultations with black residents regarding vaccinations and COVID-19 impact

Read more about the Board of Health’s decisions based on these presentations.

Read more about COVID-19 Recovery-related updates on Public Health & Safe Reopening.