Welcoming Communities Grey Bruce encourages citizens and candidates for municipal office to consider the importance of welcoming and supporting newcomers, immigrants and refugees to our area. The Grey Bruce area is increasingly diverse as people from other countries immigrate or relocate here to obtain employment, or because they are attracted by the many features that this beautiful area has to offer. People with diverse backgrounds have much to offer Grey and Bruce. However, newcomers do not stay if they do not feel welcome, accepted and included. Too many newcomers and indigenous people report being discriminated against or subject to racist hehaviours on a regular basis.

Municipal councils can address these concerns by ensuring their local policies and programs do not discriminate against people with diverse backgrounds and can set the tone through welcoming and inclusive policy initiatives.

Welcoming Communities Grey Bruce offers 5 questions for candidates and voters to consider at all candidates meetings and during this municipal campaign:.

1. What do you see as the three main challenges/barriers that keep your municipality from attracting and retaining more newcomers and if elected what would you do to work toward addressing these barriers?
2. What would be your top three actions to make newcomers and immigrants feel welcome and part of your community?
3. What steps would you take to ensure that your municipality has an equity diversity and inclusion policy regarding hiring of staff, involvement of volunteers and delivery of municipal services?
4. What does your municipality need to do to foster and support truth and reconciliation in your community?
5. What do you believe needs to be done to improve accessibility to municipal services and facilities in your community for people with disabilities?

Welcoming Communities Grey Bruce a non-profit corporation dedicated to making this area more welcoming and inclusive of everyone.

Source: media release