Improving skills development and access to employment for PADs

Support PAD professional development

Recommendation 17: The Ministry of Labour should collaborate with People of African Descent community organizations to promote and fund People of African Descent-led mentorship, skills development, and leadership training programs for People of African Descent professionals and youth.

Improving PAD access to health services

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 22: The Ministry of Health should collaborate with People of African Descent organizations to ensure adequate healthcare coverage bridging is available to newcomers awaiting MSP and to non-landed immigrants such as refugees and international students. It is particularly recommended that the province consider eliminating MSP premiums for international students in BC.

Improving PAD access to health services

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 24: The Ministry of Health should promote and fund an advocacy mechanism dedicated to the promotion of the health and mental wellbeing of Peoples of African Descent in BC. It is particularly recommended to prioritize the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of health professionals of African descent in BC. This care of health care professionals of African descent should be implemented along other incentives designed to retain them in BC.

Improving PAD access to health services

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 25: The Ministry of Health should fund and promote the creation of mental health hubs and free People of African Descent-led counseling and clinical mental health sessions that are easily accessible for Peoples of African descent across the Province.

Improving access to legal services

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 31: The Ministry of Attorney General should collaborate with community organizations and leaders to promote and deepen People of African Descent communities’ understanding of new legislations as they come into force. This will be particularly critical for the anti-racism legislation that requires simultaneous investments in accessible outlets to provide the People of African Descent community with competent education on their rights, privileges, freedoms and legal options.

Improving access to legal services

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 32: The Ministry of Attorney General should provide funding for the Law Society and People of African Descent community organizations to run legal clinics and legal aid programs for People of African Descent, predominantly led and designed by law practitioners of African descent. These programs must be accessible from anywhere within the province and run with an anti-Black racism lens and with a clear legal advocacy strategy. The Black Legal Action Centre in Ontario is a good example of a community legal aid program for the People of African Descent community.

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.