Improving anti-racism accountability systems in K-12 education

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 43: The Ministry of Education must ensure that the eventual K-12 Education Anti-Racism Action Plan recognizes the peculiarity of anti-Black racism and its implications. It is critical that the Ministry of Education pursues an implementation strategy that supports collaboration with Black-focused organizations and educators of African Descent to promote the action plan within the Black community. The associated oversight and implementation committees must include students, educators and community leaders of African Descent.

Deepening representation in housing

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 68: BC Housing should increase housing supply for People of African Descent by establishing and funding programs that reserve portions of new affordable housing units for members of the People of African Descent community. In doing this, it is critical to partner with nonprofit developers and developers with the necessary cultural competency and ties to minority communities to prevent the formation of ghetto-like complexes.

Deepening representation in housing

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 69: The Province should work with financial institutions, municipalities, and People of African Descent community groups and housing experts to support the establishment of land trusts, social enterprise housing corporations, and rent-to-own units that will provide credible alternative approaches to house and land ownership, beyond conventional mortgage financing.

Improving access to housing

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 71: The Province should increase funding for People of African Descent organisations and tenant support agencies to provide free advice on housing investments, and rent support programs targeted at People of African Descent in economic precarity.

Improving access to housing

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 72: The Province should commit to working with the Hogan’s Alley Working Group to deepen the long term involvement and investment of the Black Community in the future life of the historic 898 Main Street block in Vancouver through the exploration of land trusts, long term leases, or other arrangements as appropriate.

Improving PAD’s civic and democratic engagement

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 78: The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Elections BC should develop and propose avenues to legislate for persons resident in BC but not citizens to have a vote in provincial and local elections. The contours of this legislation must be arrived at based on deep and reflective consultations with minority community groups, including leaders and experts of African Descent.

Improving PAD’s civic and democratic engagement

Reform and promote accurate representation of PADs

Recommendation 79: The Province should make funding available to civil society organizations, including political parties, to highlight and celebrate People of African Descent leaders across all spheres of society. This should include funding of a People of African Descent leadership conference and youth leadership bootcamp to provide opportunities for various People of African Descent leaders across multiple sectors to interact, share experiences and build solidarities.

Improving PAD’s civic and democratic engagement

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 80: The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Elections BC should work with African Descent groups such as Operation Black Vote Canada to promote political education and strengthen democratic engagement acumen within People of African Descent communities; and to create leadership programs that draw on experienced politicians and leaders of African Descent to prioritize reflective mentorship, internship, volunteer and training opportunities for People of African Descent.

Improving PAD’s civic and democratic engagement

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 81: The Province should provide funding to People of African Descent organizations to deepen their capacities to fully undertake their organizational mandates. This is critical to overcome and redress structural impacts of colonialism on People of African Descent organizational trauma. More specifically, this will attenuate the broken trust and strained relationship of People of African Descent grassroot organization with institutional systems that have historically been used as repressive instruments against them. It is particularly recommended that successful models, interventions, and recommendations of People of African Descent organizations be leveraged in implementing measures to improve the conditions of People of African Descent across BC.

Improving anti-racism accountability systems in media and arts

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 82: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Division at the Ministry of Attorney General, and subject matter experts from the People of African Descent community, including the Canadian Association of Black Journalists, should collaborate to ensure that the anti-racism legislation imposes regulatory and authoritative oversight to seek greater accountability from the Fourth Estate, film, communications, and advertising consortiums by requiring targeted cultural sensitization outreach and structured engagements to encourage best practices in hiring, professional advancement, and minority representation in messaging content.