Council updates

Council updates

The City of Calgary has been working on becoming an anti-racist organization for several years. The process kicked off with a call to action and petition from Calgarians in 2020 and since then, we have achieved several key milestones. View the updates to Calgary City Council below.

Notice of Motion

A Notice of Motion is a document by Councillor(s) that brings matters to Council for discussion. On June 15, 2020, a Notice of Motion was passed titled Calgary’s commitment to anti-racism directing work to begin in a number of areas. The motion directed the City of Calgary to establish an Anti-Racism Action Committee to develop and implement a community-based anti-racism strategy that will:

  • Identify systemic barriers to accessing City of Calgary programs and services
  • Identify language barriers in accessing information regarding City of Calgary programs and services
  • Identify opportunities to work with community partners and organizations on actions to address structural racism on a community-wide level
  • Be diverse and inclusive, and a true reflection of Calgary’s residents

Additional motions arising resulted in Council approving:

  • $250,000 to fund collaborative, community-based capacity-building initiatives that work to undo systemic racism. (The Calgary Foundation and the United Way of Calgary and Area subsequently contributed an additional $350,000).
  • $120,000 for four murals guided by Pink Flamingo, a QTBIPOC-led (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) organization.

Public hearing on systemic racism

A three-day special meeting was held on July 7, 2020 by the Standing Policy Committee on Community and Protective Services. It was on Calgary’s commitment to anti-racism. It included a panel of experts and a public hearing on systemic racism. The University of Calgary’s vice-provost of equity, diversity and inclusion, Dr. Malinda Smith, acted in a special role as a co-chair to inform the proceedings. A panel of experts occupied the seats normally reserved for Councillors and provided insights into the multiple facets and impacts of racism.

Elders Kelly and Daphne Good Eagle brought blessings in the form of prayer and song at the start of the proceedings.

The panel of experts was made up of people recommended by community members and leaders with anti-racism expertise and The City’s Indigenous Relations Office. Panel members included:

  • Vicki Bouvier
  • Francis Boakye
  • Nyall Dabreo
  • Teresa Woo-Paw
  • Phil Fontaine

The session was followed by public submissions that allowed Council to hear from members of the public about their experiences and perspectives on how The City can move forward. Summarized insights and lessons learned from these days can be found on the What we heard report.

Meetings

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