B.C. launches Anti-Racism Action Plan to address barriers Indigenous, racialized people face

The inaugural Anti-Racism Action Plan sets out practical actions the government will take to remove barriers and improve access to services for Indigenous and racialized people in B.C.

It covers government sectors, such as health care, public safety, education and climate response.

Data collected under the 2022 Anti-Racism Data Act (ARDA) partly informs the plan and addresses the Anti-Racism Act’s (2024) direction for government to address systemic racism and improve equity in public services.

According to research by the ARDA, temporary foreign workers, international students, newcomers to B.C., and racialized people working in ride-hailing and delivery driving can face a higher risk of abuse and exploitation.

The plan aims to improve these groups’ labour conditions and financial outcomes with actions, such as:

• strengthening the legal oversight of immigration consultants and reviewing how regulatory bodies assess the validity of foreign professional credentials
• reviewing employment standards and legal protections for temporary foreign workers and gig workers
• identifying and addressing barriers in income and disability assistance programs
• providing materials and resources in multiple languages that are clear and easy to understand

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The government continues to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to make services more connected and responsive; the action plan commits to creating a multidisciplinary group that will:

• develop an ethical, anti-racist AI-use policy for the public sector
• identify potential harms that could be caused or worsened by unregulated AI use
• recommend how these risks might be mitigated
•  explore how AI can be used to counter the historical marginalization of Indigenous and racialized people and improve their life outcomes

Healthcare

Findings from the independent In Plain Sight Report in 2020 and ARDA research show that Indigenous and racialized people experience stereotyping, racism and discrimination in B.C.’s health-care system.

To address this, the plan includes actions to:

• establish a new centre for anti-racism and cultural safety within the Ministry of Health to lead and co-ordinate efforts to eliminate Indigenous-specific racism in health care
• adapt chronic-disease programs and supports to better reflect the needs and experiences of racialized communities
• set learning expectations for all health-care workers on Indigenous-specific racism and how to provide culturally safe care

Justice System discrimination

Historical and ongoing experiences of discrimination have contributed to lower trust in the justice system among many Indigenous and racialized people, affecting whether they report crimes and how they engage with legal processes.

This plan includes actions such as:

• piloting a Red Dress alert system to support timely and co-ordinated responses when Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people go missing
• establishing a First Nation safety officer program to support community-based safety initiatives and enforcement
• providing funding for legal, mental health, healing and community-based supports for people and communities affected by racism

Support for Indigenous people and communities

Systemic racism continues to affect outcomes for Indigenous and racialized children, youth and families. Research gathered under ARDA has found Indigenous over-representation in the child welfare system and disparities in education outcomes.

Under the plan, the government is committing to:

• ensuring First Nations communities understand existing self-determination provisions that can help them advocate for their communities in child and family welfare matters
• reviewing how Indigenous youth are supported and treated by the justice system
• strengthening the STAR Elder Program through which Indigenous Elders can provide guidance to child welfare staff and cultural support for Indigenous children, youth and families
• reviewing why Indigenous students are over-represented in special education categories and school completion (evergreen) certificates, and working to address this

About the action plan

The action plan includes 37 commitments from 17 core government ministries and bodies. It is informed primarily by research under ARDA, consultation and co-operation with Indigenous partners, engagement with racialized communities, advice from the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism and other action-specific evidence and ministry analysis.

To support transparency and accountability, individual ministries will monitor progress on their commitments and regularly report to the Ministry of Attorney General.

Under the plan, the government will develop and implement learning and incident-response resources to counter rising antisemitism and islamophobia in schools.

To see the list of actions and read the full Anti-Racism Action Plan, click here.

To contact the racist incident helpline, visit: https://racistincidenthelpline.ca/