Current Developments
Building a New Canada: Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion
The national symposium on Building a New Canada: Meeting the Civic Challenges of Social Inclusion is part of this initiative funded by Social Development Canada to enhance social inclusion in cities and communities across Canada.
The symposium focuses on two questions:
- How can governments and communities meet the civic challenges of social inclusion so that all people are able to participate in the social and economic life of their cities and communities?
- What is the federal government’s role in supporting the social infrastructure of cities as an essential part of a Canadian urban strategy?
Earlier this year, ICC released local reports in Burlington, Edmonton, Saint John, Toronto, and Vancouver/North Vancouver, which assessed the state of social inclusion in those cities and identified needed policy and program changes. A cross-Canada report will be released at the national symposium which analyzes and synthesizes the local findings and recommendations, and frames the issues as four civic challenges for governments and communities:
- making civic democracy work;
- affirming urban diversity;
- reducing disparities in living conditions; and
- investing in local communities.
Inclusive Cities Canada was established in 2003 with partners in Saint John, Burlington, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver/North Vancouver. A Civic Panel was set up in each city to guide the local research which was carried out by social planning council staff. The civic panels are all co-chaired by a community leader and a municipal leader, either a mayor or city councillor.
The national symposium is intended for federal government representatives from different departments, civic panel members and social planning councils, municipal governments, national organizations, and community leaders.
For more information, contact Mary Micallef at (416) 351-0095, ext. 251 or via e-mail at [email protected].
The final program and relevant symposium information will be posted when available