City and External Resources and Links

• Policies and Legislation
• Vision 20/20
• Opportunity Agenda in the City Corporate Plan
• EDAC and Diversity-Related Links

Policies and Legislation

In November 2002, Council approved the City of Ottawa's Equity and Diversity Policy. The policy demonstrates the City's commitment to ensuring its workforce is qualified and reflective of the community's diverse population that it serves. It also ensures all clients and residents equal access to facilities, products, services and employment opportunities.

Employees in the branches of Transit Services and Transit Fleet in the department of Public Works and Transportation, as well as some employees in Corporate Services, are required by law to comply with the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act.

All other employees fall under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Vision 20/20

After extensive consultation with Ottawa residents and businesses, Ottawa 20/20 resulted in a number of plans, which will guide Ottawa's future. Ottawa 20/20 protects and builds on the quality of life our citizens value, based on principles they have expressed, one of which being “A Caring and Inclusive City”. Diversity and the equity groups are mentioned within the 20/20 growth plans.

Opportunity Agenda in the City Corporate Plan

In September 2005, City Council approved its City Corporate Plan, which embraces the principles, actions and recommendations from the Ottawa 20/20 consultation and details priorities for action. These priorities are called agendas in the plan. The City Corporate Plan also takes into account the City's Long Range Financial Plans, Council directions from the 2005 budget process, the Council-approved framework for accountability and reporting, results from the 2004 Citizen Satisfaction Survey and other inputs from citizens, businesses, communities and Councillors.

The Opportunity Agenda in the City’s Corporate Plan supports the Ottawa 20/20 strategic directions: promote diversity and inclusion; ensure access to basics; and invest in people and places

EDAC and Diversity-Related Links

• Do you want information on the City's Governance structure, which is made up of Council, Standing Committees, and Advisory Committees and Boards? Visit City Council - How Does it Work?
  
  
• If you want to view organizational charts for City staff, visit the City's Administrative Structure. You can drill down to Departmental and Branch organizational charts.
  
  
• Check out the Bids and Tenders if you want information on the Procurement opportunities at the City of Ottawa or if you are interested in bidding on a project or submitting an offer to provide a service or technical expertise to the City.
  
  
• Add your organization's name to the City's Master Contact List! The City of Ottawa has developed a master contact list of community organizations in order to know how it can reach you and on which issues you want to hear from the City.
  
  
• Ottawa Police Service. The Ottawa Police Service believes in being a diverse and non-discriminatory police service. Visit its Diversity Matters section.
  
  In October 2005, a successful OPS Workplace Census was completed.
  
  The Ottawa Police Service has launched its Outreach Recruitment Project, a long-term proactive hiring and retention strategy to diversify the Ottawa Police workforce and to become an Employer of Choice for All.
  
  In addition, the Ottawa Police Service is involved in two important outreach initiatives. The Community Police Action Committee (COMPAC) is an advisory and coordinating body representing a partnership between the police and visible minority and Aboriginal communities in Ottawa. Be sure to visit COMPAC Extranet Website provided by the OPS.
  
  A second community outreach committee is the Ottawa Police Service Liaison Committee for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Communities (GLBT Liaison Committee). Be sure to visit the GLBT Extranet Website provided by the OPS.
  
  Community Reports on these two initiatives are available on the OPS web site.
  
  
• Interfaith Ottawa was formed out of recognition that the various faith communities and the City needed a forum that would help to foster and increase harmony and acceptance throughout the City and would be able to speak out on issues of hate and intolerance. A Memorandum of Understanding between the City and various faith communities highlights the principal goals of this initiative between the City and its multifaith community. In January 2006, Interfaith Ottawa started issuing newsletters to increase awareness of ongoing initiatives and work. Visit the first issue of an Interfaith Ottawa Newsletter (dated January 2006). Links to future issues of the Interfaith newsletters will be added here as the newsletters are tabled at EDAC meetings.
  
  
• The City for All Women Initiative (CAWI) is a collaborative partnership between the City of Ottawa and diverse women representing women's organizations and equity-seeking groups. CAWI is working with the City on a 2006 pilot of the Gender Equality Planning Guide under the Opportunity Agenda in the City’s Corporate Plan.
  
• Under its work plan, EDAC is working with Pink Triangle Services (PTS) and the newly incorporate GLBTQ Community Centre to provide assistance to Ottawa’s GLBTQ communities.
  
• The Ottawa Mosaic has released " An Exploratory Overview of the Assets of Immigrant and Visible Minority Communities in Ottawa (October 2004)". This report is the result of a study of existing assets of immigrant and visible minority communities in Ottawa and announces an on-line directory of organizations serving immigrant and visible minority community members posted on the Social Planning Council of Ottawa web site.
  
• Based on the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) of 2001, the City developed its first Municipal Accessibility Plan in 2003. The Plan outlines the barriers that have been identified in City facilities and services, as well as the measures the City will be taking to address these barriers. Or, visit the City's 2006 Municipal Accessibility Plan.

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