Black North Initiative

For too long, too many people have said, “this is not my problem”; that anti-Black systemic racism and hate are somehow distant from the lives we live here in Canada. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Black Canadians also face systemic barriers that negatively affect their lives and well-being.

The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism was created to remove the anti-Black systemic barriers which do exist in Canada. As a first step, CEOs and other leaders are being asked to sign a pledge that commits their organizations to specific actions to dismantle anti-Black racism and create opportunities that empower members of the Black community to reach their full potential. This includes hiring goals of at least 5% within their student workforce and 3.5% of executive and board roles being held by Black leaders by 2025.

In addition to the CEO pledge and encouraging companies to embrace transformational change, we’ve announced a series of initiatives and formal committees led by prominent Canadians from across the country, each tasked with identifying barriers to Black people and developing concrete action plans to remove them.

We recognize that ending anti-Black systemic racism requires a holistic solution which is why efforts will focus on the challenges facing Black people when it comes to health care, education, the justice system, community safety, at-risk youth, economic empowerment, and other areas.

The BlackNorth Initiative is raising funds to support the development of these programs and initiatives.

To learn more, please visit www.blacknorth.ca 

This is not a blip on the radar screen. This is a movement. We are not going back.