Anti-Racism Directorate
Leads the government’s anti-racism initiatives to build a more inclusive society, and works to identify, address and prevent systemic racism in government policy, legislation, programs and services.
What we do
The Anti-Racism Directorate (ARD) works to eliminate systemic racism in government policies, decisions and programs, and advance racial equity in Ontario for Indigenous, Black and other and racialized populations. We’re committed to advancing a more inclusive and responsive Ontario government, to ensure all people are served equitably, with a plan that is grounded in evidence and research.
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42%
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48%
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25%
Government has a leading role to play in eliminating systemic racism. We have zero tolerance for hate, racism or discrimination in all its forms and are committed to creating conditions to build a more inclusive province.
Legislation
We administer the Anti-Racism Act, 2017, which focuses on eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial equity. Everyone deserves to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity. We’re committed to advancing racial equity because this supports the social, economic and cultural development of Ontario as a whole. Everyone benefits when individuals and communities are no longer marginalized.
Anti-Racism Anti-Hate Grant Program
The Anti-Racism Anti-Hate Grant is a $3.2 million program to support community-led initiatives that increase public education and awareness on the impact of racism and hate, in all its many forms.
Eligible organizations, including community-based, not-for-profit organizations, were eligible to apply for grants of $40,000 over two years for independent projects, or $100,000 over two years for partnerships between two or more organizations. The application period for this grant closed on February 14, 2022.
Resources for employers
In January 2021, CivicAction and the Anti-Racism Directorate held a roundtable that brought together multi-sector leaders to discuss the way employers can enhance opportunities for Indigenous, Black and otherracialized talent. Read the summary report from that session.
Following the roundtable, we’ve been developing an employer resource hub to help employers identify actions they can take to:
- advance racial equity in the workplace
- enhance workplace opportunities for Indigenous, Black and other racialized talent
We will continue to add digital tools and resources to the hub to help people reach their full potential, experience true economic inclusion and build workplaces that work for all.
Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) Grant
Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Entrepreneurs (RAISE) is a service and grant program to support Indigenous, Black and other racialized entrepreneurs in Ontario with starting and scaling a business.
Successful applicants will receive:
- a $10,000 grant to facilitate innovation and growth
- online business development training
- culturally responsive support services, including personalized business coaching
RAISE was developed and administered by:
- Digital Main Street
- Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA)
- Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA)
- other community partners
What to do if you’ve experienced racial discrimination
Please note, the Anti-Racism Directorate is not a court and will not investigate individual cases or make legal decisions on cases of racism or discrimination under the law.
If you have questions or need support, contact the:
- Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, if you think you’ve experienced race-based discrimination or harassment
- Human Rights Legal Support Centre, if you need legal advice on a human rights issue or help filling out an application for the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario
- Ontario Human Rights Commission, for information on policies and guidelines on race-based discrimination and other human rights issues in Ontario. The commission may also initiate or intervene in legal cases that involve systemic forms of discrimination which are illegal under the Ontario Human Rights Code
If you need legal help for other types of concerns:
- learn more about how to find lawyer or qualify for legal aid
- visit Legal Aid Ontario’s website for a list of legal aid offices and clinics near you
If you have been a victim of a crime:
- visit the victim services directory to learn more about the services available to you
- call the Victim Support Line at
1-888-579-2888 or416-314-2447 in the Greater Toronto Area, to talk to an information and referral counsellor
If you want to report a hate crime, call your local authorities
Public community meetings
Between July and December 2016, we hosted 10 public community meetings across the province to hear your perspectives and recommendations for fighting systemic racism.
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2,500+
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2,000+
What we heard:
- anti-racism legislation is needed to ensure longevity and sustainability of anti-racism work within government
- we need to mandate race-based data collection and public reporting
- the need for government action to address systemic racism in the education, child welfare, health and justice sectors
Read the meeting transcripts to learn more: