Government of Canada recognizes employers at the annual Employment Equity Achievement Awards

OTTAWA, Oct. 5, 2017 /CNW/ - On October 5, 2017, 18 employers were recognized for outstanding achievement in employment equity in their workplaces. The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour presented recipients with Employment Equity Achievement Awards at the event held in Ottawa.

These awards recognize federally regulated private-sector employers and federal contractors for their commitment to creating diverse and inclusive Canadian workplaces. They also provide a forum for showcasing and sharing best practices in implementing employment equity.

The awards highlight the Government's commitment to continue to work with employers and federal contractors to make further progress on equity and inclusion for designated groups under the Employment Equity Act.

The Minister took the opportunity to highlight the progress being made to introduce new planned federal accessibility legislation by 2018 and to mention that work is underway to develop a modern pay equity regime that promotes equal pay for work of equal value.

Quote

"The employers that were recognized for outstanding achievement in employment equity are showing real leadership in fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces. Our workplaces thrive when they are equitable, diverse and inclusive.''
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"Congratulations to the nominees and recipients of this year's Employment Equity Achievement Awards. It's fitting that we are recognizing your efforts and success during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, when employers are encouraged to think about how they can make their workplaces more inclusive, diverse and accessible for Canadians of all abilities. Our government is committed to helping create more inclusive workplaces and will introduce new federal legislation in 2018 leading towards a truly accessible and inclusive Canada."
– The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities

Quick Facts

• The Employment Equity Act seeks to correct disadvantages experienced in employment for four designated groups: women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.
• There are two legislated programs identified under the Act: the Legislated Employment Equity Program (LEEP) and the Federal Contractors Program.
• The LEEP applies to approximately 500 federally regulated private-sector employers, 30 Crown corporations and 5 other federal organizations that have 100 or more employees with a combined workforce of over 730,000 employees.
• The Federal Contractors Program ensures that contractors who receive contracts with the Government of Canada valued at $1 million or more and who have a workforce of 100 employees seek to achieve and maintain a workforce that is representative of the Canadian workforce, including members of the four designated groups under the Employment Equity Act.

Related Products
Backgrounder: Employment Equity Achievement Awards

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Employment equity in federally regulated workplaces
Employment Equity Achievement Awards

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Backgrounder: Employment Equity Achievement Awards

A full-day Employment Equity Achievement Awards event took place on October 5 in Ottawa to recognize federally regulated private-sector employers and federal contractors for their efforts in implementing employment equity in their workplaces.

Recipients and categories

Sector Distinction
The Sector Distinction award recognizes employers who are inspirational role models in their sector. In addition to demonstrating a strong commitment and achieving success in implementing employment equity in their own organization, these employers also champion employment equity for the sector.

• Enbridge
• Jazz Aviation
• Royal Bank of Canada

Outstanding Commitment
The Outstanding Commitment to Employment Equity award recognizes employers who have demonstrated outstanding commitment in implementing their employment equity plans by instituting measures to remove barriers, adopting special measures and/or establishing positive policies and practices to achieve tangible results.

• ATCO Structures & Logistics Ltd
• Bell Canada
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
• Canadian National Railway (CN)
• Capital One Bank (Canada)
• Cogeco Connexion Inc.
• Defence Construction (1951) Ltd.
• Hemmera Envirochem Inc.
• HSBC Bank Canada
• Kindersley Transport Ltd.
• Shaw Communications Inc.

Innovation
The Innovation award recognizes employers who have been innovative in the implementation of employment equity. This can include creativity in the design and implementation of measures to remove barriers, adoption of special measures, establishment of positive policies or practices, forward-thinking in human resources practices and/or development of new or unique initiatives.

• Export Development Canada
• Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Inc.
• Queen's University
• Rogers Communications Inc.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Matt Pascuzzo, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, P.C., M.P., Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, [email protected], 819-654-5613; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]