Calgary Councillors Approve Bylaw for Anti-Racism Committee

Calgary’s city council is moving forward with a new bylaw aimed at formalizing the operations of its Anti-Racism Action Committee. The Community Development Committee voted 10-1 on October 20, 2023, to establish the terms of reference for this committee as a bylaw, which will require final ratification from the full council.

The newly proposed bylaw serves to align the Anti-Racism Action Committee with other appointed bodies within the city, stipulating its mandate, composition, responsibilities, and operational frameworks, as detailed in a city staff report. This initiative comes in response to the growing need for structured governance in addressing systemic racism, which has gained increased focus since the murder of George Floyd in 2020, an event that catalyzed the global Black Lives Matter movement.

The formation of the Anti-Racism Action Committee was a direct outcome of local demonstrations in Calgary that summer, where over 150 residents shared their experiences regarding systemic racism during a three-day public hearing. Subsequently, the city council appointed 11 public volunteers to the committee, tasking them with identifying barriers within municipal programs and services, collaborating with community partners, and providing guidance on the development of a comprehensive anti-racism strategy. This strategy was ratified in May 2023.

Since its inception, the committee has played a crucial role in advising the council on anti-racism initiatives, ensuring that the voices of grassroots communities are heard in decision-making processes. At the recent committee meeting, a city official emphasized the importance of the bylaw in aligning the committee’s operations with Section 145 of the Municipal Government Act. This section mandates that council committees are established by a bylaw.

Jaspreet Sandhu, the city’s manager of community integration strategies, noted that the proposed bylaw includes specific amendments to the committee’s terms of reference. These changes aim to modernize provisions, address existing gaps, and ensure alignment with current governance best practices. According to Sandhu, the adjustments resulting from the bylaw’s adoption will be mostly minor. They include updates to member term lengths, the frequency of reports to the council, and the overall composition and meeting frequency of the committee members.

As Calgary continues to navigate the complexities of systemic racism, the establishment of a formal bylaw for the Anti-Racism Action Committee represents a significant step towards fostering a more equitable and inclusive community.