What does “EDI” mean?

A true story: Montréal’s firefighters

When there is a fire, we want firefighters. But who becomes a firefighter? For a long time, many young people did not see themselves in this job. They knew no one like them in a fire station.

In September 2021, the Montréal fire department (SIM) created an Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Its goal: firefighters who look like the city’s population. It goes to schools, community centres and sports and cultural activities to talk about the job, notably to women, Indigenous people, people with disabilities and visible and ethnic minorities.

Diversity: opening the door to all. Equity: reaching out to those who were not coming. Inclusion: a workplace without discrimination. That is EDI.

The role of Canada, Québec and the City

In December 2020, Canada launched the 50 – 30 Challenge. Organizations that join aim, on their board and in senior management, for gender parity (50%) and 30% of people from other under-represented groups. Nonprofits can take part.

In Québec, since April 1, 2001, a law asks public bodies with 100 or more employees, such as cities, schools and hospitals, to open their jobs more widely to women, Indigenous people and visible and ethnic minorities.

In Montréal, the Conseil des arts has adopted an equity policy: it wants its juries to reflect the city’s diversity, and it set a goal for 2025 of giving 25% of its financial support to the groups it considers priorities.

Matin’s role

EDI is not a buzzword. It is a way of checking, every time: who is here? who is missing? who feels welcome?

And Matin? Already done: our activities are free and our website speaks French, English and Persian. Coming next: we want to take inspiration from the 50 – 30 Challenge for our board of directors.

To remember

• Diversity: who is there. Equity: what each person needs. Inclusion: feeling at home.
• Opening the door is not enough: sometimes we must go and find people.
• EDI shows in facts, not in words.