Building Belonging in Burnaby for Racialized Newcomers and Immigrants to Thrive –Understanding and Dismantling Systemic Racism
This report presents the results of CoLab’s extensive research that was carried out in collaboration with the Burnaby Intercultural Planning Table (BIPT) and the City of Burnaby aimed at “Building Belonging in Burnaby for Racialized Newcomers and Immigrants to Thrive”. The goals of the research were to identify, unmask and illuminate structural inequities, institutionalized and systemic racism faced by newcomers and immigrants, particularly racialized groups, to better understand how racism is experienced in Burnaby.
Burnaby is a hyper-diverse city!
Over 57% of Burnaby’s population defines as immigrant and non-PR status. 67.8% of Burnaby residents identify as a visible minority.
Burnaby is 1 of 8 cities in Canada without majority ethnic group.
Burnaby is the second most diverse municipality in the lower mainland with over 120 different languages spoken.
What has the research unmasked?
Dismantling racism requires an understanding of the systemic advantages and obstacles to some that Burnaby built its economy, social structures, political and educational institutions to support.
There is an underutilization of the talents, credentials and experience of newcomers, particularly racialized immigrants and newcomers.
Policies and programs poorly informed by the lack of disaggregated, intersectional data on the experience of and outcomes for racialized immigrants.
Settlement and immigration services misaligned with the needs and aspirations of immigrants and newcomers.
Recommendations
Strengthen transformational leadership. Center a racialized voice and agency governance.
Create and embed city-wide equity and antiracism strategies. Develop a clear antiracism vision.
Build organizational equity and antiracism capacity. Train leaders to lead institutional change.
Review and reimagine policies, practices and programs. Conduct racial equity analysis of all programming and planning.
Leverage partnerships for equity outcomes. Diversify suppliers and support racialized businesses.
Pilot Dare-Approach for innovative priority programs and plans.