WINNIPEG -- More than 10,000 people work for the City of Winnipeg – a new report suggests that workforce is not diverse enough.
The report to the city’s human rights committee says for four equity groups – women, Indigenous people, racialized peoples, and persons living with disabilities – workforce diversity representation lags behind the total population.
“Well, it’s very concerning and it’s symptomatic of systemic and institutional practices of the past,” said City Councillor and committee Vice Chair Markus Chambers.
Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman is hoping that can change.
In his annual State of the City address, he announced he is bringing a motion forward to create new policies around diversity hiring.
Bowman wants a report back in 60 days to explore options including:
- The creation of an equity and diversity division to focus on hiring employees from diverse backgrounds.
- Implementing recruitment practices on preferred hiring in designated positions
- creating department specific equity strategies
- Annual progress reports
“The workforce doesn’t adequately reflect the community we serve and so more work is needed,” said Bowman.
The motion will be debated at the human rights committee.
Chambers said the options in the motion are great initiatives. He would like to see financial obstacles for training knocked down as well as changes to collective bargaining to promote more diverse hiring.
During his speech, Bowman also announced the Winnipeg Foundation is donating $1 million to the city’s million tree challenge.
