City of Brampton’s Economic Development Office receives Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award 

May 30, 2023

The City of Brampton Economic Development office has been recognized by Business Facilities Magazine for its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.   

The Annual Economic Development Organization awards celebrate Economic Development organizations that create impactful programs and initiatives aimed at improving the communities that they serve. Brampton was the only large Canadian city so recognized.  

The Brampton Economic Development Office was recognized for implementing several initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, including: 

  • Scaling up an award-winning Innovation District with a partner ecosystem model promoting inclusive programming and scaling the jobs of the future;  
  • Dedicating staff to the African and Caribbean markets and to Black economic development initiatives; 
  • Providing internships to international students   
  • Nurturing skills development for young people in priority sectors, including entrepreneurship, medtech, manufacturing, innovation and food & beverage processing;  
  • Brampton was the sole Canadian city to be selected by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2022 to participate in the Equity Fellowship program. 

BACKGROUND: AWARD CITATION

Brampton, Ontario 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Brampton is a fast-growing city in Canada, growing at 10.6%. It is also a young city, with an average age of 36, as well as 171 languages spoken among 250 ethnic backgrounds. The city is positioned in the center of Canada’s Innovation Corridor. The Economic Development Office honors City Council’s priorities to make Brampton a City of Opportunity and a “mosaic” by celebrating diversity in: Scaling an award-winning Innovation District with a partner ecosystem model promoting inclusive programming and scaling the jobs of the future; Nurturing sector opportunities in medtech, manufacturing, food, logistics, and innovation; Targeting several foreign markets for FDI; Dedicating staff to the African and Caribbean markets; Dedicating staff to black economic development; Leading with an Investment Services team for data analytics, expeditor role for red tape reduction, and skills development for young people, including international students, with internships. Brampton was the only Canadian city selected for the IEDC Equity Fellowship in 2022 to make diversity in priority. 

Business Facilities Magazine Invest Brampton feature (May/June 2023 edition)