IDEA Action Plan

Municipal services touch the lives of every resident and visitor. Addressing social inequities means services can address the needs of all citizens and improve the well-being of the community.

The Municipality of Kincardine is committed to developing actions to improve inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA).


Training Sessions

 1.   Learning Circle - History of the land from a First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspective 

June 9, 2023 – 1:00 – 3:00

Location - Municipal Administration Centre - RR #5 Kincardine

The Learning Circle will be facilitated by Trish Meekins.Trish is of Pottawatomi and Mohawk decent and strongly identifies with her Anishinabek culture and history. Trish is the sole owner of NikaanaganaaCounselling & Learning Centre located in Owen Sound and provides cultural Awareness and Sensitivity Training.

Register here  

 
2.   Rainbow Diversity 

Virtual Training 

June 14 - 10am - 12pm

The online workshop will be facilitated by SPECTRUMSPECTRUM’s Rainbow Diversity Training is a service that helps organizations along the path towards becoming more open and welcoming, as well as equitable and accessible to persons of all sexual and gender diversities, both to clients and employees of the organization.

Goals of the online workshop

  • To gain an understanding of 2SLGBTQ+ history in Canada
  • To understand the historical implications of patriarchy, colonialism, and religion on 2SLGBTQ+ people
    and their various intersectional identities.
  • To gain an in depth understanding of the issues facing transgender and non-binary people.
  • To practice and explore strategies for positive space-making and inclusion.
  • To commit to demonstrating more welcoming and inclusive behaviour, providing support of 2SLGBTQ+individuals, including knowledge of where to go for further resources (both to further deepen personalunderstanding, and to support 2SLGBTQ+ people).

Register here 


 

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Lens 

Our community is becoming more and more diverse and so are the needs and aspirations of its residents and visitors. For this reason, we need to incorporate this reality into how we communicate, engage, plan and deliver services so we can remain relevant, meaningful and effective. To help us apply equity and inclusion to our work, we can ask some practical questions to improve IDEA.   

Resource:  Questions to ask yourself to work towards equity and inclusion 

Recognizing Diversity

Learning the history and developing an understanding of the different cultures and diversity in our community helps us become aware, rethink any assumptions, creates allyship and fosters a sense of connection with each other.

To help us get to know each other better, the Municipality of Kincardine will be highlighting different cultures, days of significance / remembrance and celebrations of our diverse community throughout the year. See the list here.

Ring My Bell Campaign

The Ring my Bell Project is to help make businesses easier to access.

 

Customers can ring the bell when they:

  • Need help entering a business e.g., have a walker, stroller, or mobility issues
  • Would like the ramp out (for stores with ramps)

Doorbells are to be placed at the front entrance. A poster has been provided to alert your customers that they can “ring your bell” for assistance.

Doorbells have been provided by the Kincardine Canadian Tire and the Municipality of Kincardine. 

Should you have questions, or to request a door bell, contact info@kincardine.ca

What we heard report: Input to inform the development of the IDEA Strategy 

 What is the “What We Heard Report”? 

To develop the IDEA Strategy, we need input from the community on the most pressing issues.  And specifically we need to hear from groups that experience inequities in order to understand the barriers and challenges faced, in order for the Municipality to implement the most relevant actions to improve inclusion, diversity equity and access. 

 

The “What we heard” report is a summary of the feedback that emerged from community consultations that were held to inform the development of the IDEA Strategy for the Municipality of Kincardine.  

It is important to note that not all input will have corresponding actions in the future IDEA Strategy. This input will be prioritized based on several factors/criteria yet to be determined. This will happen in the next phase of IDEA Strategy development. 

IDEA Committee

In order to develop the most relevant and meaningful priorities and actions for the Municipality to focus on in the short and long term, community engagement and advice is needed. One concrete way to do this is through the establishment of a Community Advisory Committee. The terms of reference for this Community Advisory Committee can be found here.  

Should you have any questions contact Lorie Fioze.

Our approach to this work

  • Diversity is a strength
  • Everyone holds unconscious bias and beliefs
  • Recognition that racism is present in our systems, processes and work 
  • Learn the history and lean into discomfort that comes with the awareness
  • This is a journey and we will listen and adapt as we have new understandings
  • Engage in meaningful, intentional collaboration and partnerships
  • Inject care, compassion and empathy into our approach and actions

 

 

For more information, please see the June 7, 2021 staff report to Council on establishing an IDEA Advisory Committee.

Afro-Centric Art Installation by Phillip Saunders

A mural dedicated to inspiring Black Canadians has been completed at the Davidson Centre track and field shed. It's dynamic, colourful, and celebrates Black Canadian heritage, history and continued contributions.

 

  • Portia White: A contralto known for becoming the first black Canadian concert singer to achieve international acclaim. 
  • Oscar Peterson: Eight time Grammy award winning legendary jazz pianist. 
  • Dr. Eugenia Duodu: CEO of Visions of Science network for learning, who is committed to empowering low income communities through the STEM program. 
  • Andre De Grasse: Canadian sprinter, 7-time Olympic medalist and now gold medalist in the 200 m.

 

Why do we need an Afrocentric mural? Click here to read more.

We all want a community where residents and visitors feel safe, respected, and comfortable in being themselves and expressing all aspects of their identifies. We want a community where each and every person feels accepted, connected, free of barriers and has a real sense of belonging. So if we all want this inclusive community, why are there comments against the creation of a mural that will depict one segment of our community – Black and Racialized communities?

Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that an inclusive community is not experienced by all people who live in or visit our community. But we are not alone in this. Racism is an issue that is happening across Ontario, Canada and the world.

Changing society and eliminating racism from our culture and our systems is uncomfortable messy work but if we push through the discomfort the change we are all seeking can happen. 

 

 

Image of a section of the mural Image of a section of the mural

Image of a section of the mural Image of a section of the mural

   

Contact(s)