Revised Action Plan Approved
Council for the Municipality of Chester has approved a revised Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, reaffirming its commitment to break down systemic barriers in local government. A text only version is also available.
The updated Plan builds on previous efforts, incorporating valuable feedback from residents, staff, and community partners, and identifying new actions to reduce barriers and promote equity. The Plan also introduces the Village of Chester Commission as colleague and partner as well as supports valuable opportunities for residents, businesses, and organizations.
As in the previous Plan, five goals are outlined:
- Engagement: Develop, where relevant, communications plans, social media content, and community engagement strategies that feature our communities as respectful and equitable places for all to live and work.
- Service Delivery: Work to eliminate barriers to public-facing programs, services, and facilities.
- Governance: Continue to develop internal governance and administrative capacity, practices, and tools that proactively counter and enable immediate reaction against all forms of discrimination, exclusion, and racism in our communities.
- Relationship: Develop a network of agencies and organizations active in equity, diversity, and inclusion work in order to share information, opportunities, and resources with community organizations and businesses that will advance and support their EDI initiatives and communities.
- Community: Provide advice and recommendations to elected officials concerning opportunities to create welcoming and inclusive cultural and social spaces, ensuring a respectful and equitable community for all to live and work.
The Municipality collaborated with local and regional partners to develop the revised plan. Consultations included public drop-in sessions, an online survey, and individual meetings. To ensure the plan reflects the needs and aspirations of the community, the Municipality invites residents and businesses to read the Plan and share their feedback through EngageChester.ca or by contacting the Municipality through communications@chester.ca.
