2025-2029 Anti-Black Racism Action Plan

The City of London acknowledges that anti-Black racism is systemic in Canada and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive strategy to address and challenge it in all its forms.

On November 26, 2024, City Council approved the 2025-2029 Anti-Black Racism Action Plan, which outlines steps the City will take to improve municipal programs, policies, and procedures to address anti-Black racism. The plan aims to ensure full and meaningful participation of the Black community in services, events, and life in London.

With Council’s approval of the action plan, an implementation strategy outlining key outcomes, performance indicators, and timelines is under development.

Action Plan Recommendations

The plan outlines 61 recommendations for the City of London, aimed at addressing systemic barriers and promoting equity across municipal programs and services.

Key actions include increasing economic opportunities through enhanced supports for Black-owned businesses, prioritizing the recruitment and retention of Black individuals in leadership roles, developing housing and transportation policies that support equity-denied communities, and offering recreation programs inclusive of Black communities.

In addition, the plan includes 27 recommendations directed at external organizations such as police services, school boards, healthcare institutions, post-secondary institutions, and business sector support organizations. These recommendations focus on advancing systemic changes to improve representation, eliminating barriers, and fostering equity within these key sectors.

A plan shaped by London’s Black communities

The plan was shaped through collaboration with over 300 Black residents, leaders, community organizations and business owners in London.

Surveys, focus groups and one-on-one interviews engaged diverse groups, including seniors, youth, women, Muslims, Francophones, 2SLGBTQIA+ members, newcomers, and individuals with disabilities. These efforts aimed to understand perspectives on anti-Black racism, experiences with municipal services, business development, and other areas of focus. The insights and recommendations provided by the community informed the plan’s objectives, actions, and accountability measures.

As a Corporation, we acknowledge our role in addressing anti-Black racism and are committed to implementing the recommendations suggested to us. We seek to do better by being better; and will be looking to the community to steer us on the right path to better serve Black Londoners. As the plan continues to unfold, we look forward to growing our relationship and collaborating with the community to identify the best approaches to implementing the suggested recommendations.

We are thankful to all Black Londoners, individuals, groups, and organizations, for taking time to participate in these meaningful dialogues and for providing the input needed to drive this work. We recognize the challenging nature of these conversations and are truly grateful for your keen interest and ongoing support in the creation of this draft action plan.

To learn more about the 2025-2029 Anti-Black Racism Action Plan, please visit https://london.ca/AntiBlackRacism