Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee

Mandate and scope

• Advises Council and staff on the development, implementation, and assessment of City policies and services related to strengthening ethno-cultural engagement, addressing racism, and racial inequities, and promoting racial justice and equity in the City
• Advises Council and staff on enhancing access and inclusion for racialized communities to fully participate in City services and civic life
• Advises Council and staff on cultural celebrations and events in the City
• Works collaboratively with counterparts from other civic agencies to identify opportunities for joint action on issues of mutual interest
• Works co-operatively with external agencies and groups whose activities affect constituent communities
• Engages in outreach to disseminate information and encourage participation from constituent communities

Meeting and administrative procedures

• The Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee holds six regular meetings per year, in addition to working sessions generally scheduled during intervening months throughout the year.
• Type A Advisory Committees may, at their discretion, establish sub-committees focused on relevant topics of interest, non-members may participate in sub-committees and attend regular meetings if invited.
• A member who is absent from more than two consecutive regular meetings without a leave of absence is deemed to have resigned.

Remuneration

• Type A Advisory Committee members and alternate members are eligible to receive reimbursement for certain meeting-related expenses.
• Non-member subcommittee participants are not eligible to receive reimbursement.
• A light meal will be provided to Type A Advisory Committee members attending in-person regular meetings held over lunch or dinner hours.

Eligibility

Persons appointed to a Type A Advisory Committee shall meet the following essential criteria:

• Not be employed by the City of Vancouver
• Live or work in Vancouver, or have a significant body of experience with issues related to the mandate of the advisory body in Vancouver
• Have connections to relevant communities, groups, and/or organizations in Vancouver
• Be able to demonstrate relevant experience or knowledge, abilities, and skills related to the mandate of the advisory body
• Be able to work in a team environment with intercultural sensitivity

Term limit

Beginning in 2019, no member of the public shall serve for more than eight consecutive years on the same Type A Advisory Committee. A former member is eligible for reappointment after one year of non-membership.

Terms of Reference

• Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee Full Terms of Reference 

Membership

• Harjyot Banwait
• Victoria Barclay
• Alexandra Gunn
• Steph Kallstrom (Chair)
• Alemu Nenko
• Ajay Puri
• Jeremiah Rojas
• Lydia Tang
• Pavandeep Toor
• Naina Varshney (Vice-Chair)

Liaisons​

Council Liaisons:

• Councillor Pete Fry
• Councillor Lenny Zhou

Staff Liaison:

• April Sumter-Freitag, Social Planner, Social Policy and Projects

Vancouver Police Department Liaison:

• Sgt. Rita Raj

Park Board Commissioner Liaison:

• Commissioner Angela Haer

Vancouver School Board Liaison:

• Trustee Victoria Jung

Terms and Membership Composition

Persons appointed to a Type A Advisory Committee shall meet the following essential criteria:

• Not be employed by the City of Vancouver;
• Live or work in Vancouver, or have a significant body of experience with issues related to the mandate of the advisory body in Vancouver;
• Have connections to relevant communities, groups, and/or organizations in Vancouver;
• Be able to demonstrate relevant experience or knowledge, abilities and skills related to the mandate of the advisory body;
• Be able to work in a team environment with intercultural sensitivity.

Composition:

• Up to 12 members of the public (quorum is a majority of appointed members);
• All of said members’ seats shall be filled by people who identify as a member of a racialized or cultural minority community;;
• Up to 2 non-voting Council liaisons (appointed by Mayor);
• Up to 2 non-voting staff liaisons (appointed by City Manager);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioner liaison and/or staff liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver School Board Trustee liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Public Library staff liaison (optional);
• 1 non-voting Vancouver Police Department staff liaison (optional).

Length of term:

• Term ends immediately before the first Monday after November 1 in the year of a general local election. However, no regular meeting shall be held between the last day of the nomination period and general voting day.
• Members are appointed until December 31, 2024, at which point appointments are automatically renewable to the end of the term, and recruitment shall be conducted to fill any vacancies arising.
• Beginning in 2019, no member of the public shall serve in more than eight consecutive years on the same Type A Advisory Committee. A former member is eligible for reappointment after one year of non-membership.

In addition to the regular meetings listed here, the Committee also meets several times per year for informal working sessions. Please contact the Meeting Coordinator for more information.

The meetings listed below are open to the public. 

2025 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2024 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2023 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2022 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2021 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2020 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2019 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2018 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2017 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2016 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2015 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2014 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2013 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2012 meetings, agendas, and minutes

2023 - 2026 Work Plan

• View the work plan

Report of Activities, 2021–2022

An overview of the committee's 2022 accomplishments.
View the Committee's report (pdf)

September 22, 2022

The Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee writes a letter to City Council regarding Anti-Black Racism.

Read the Letter PDF file (302 KB)

April 26, 2022

The City of Vancouver Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee writes letter of support for Van Black Library to Mayor and Council and VPL.

Read the letter of support PDF file (321 KB)

June 8, 2020

The City of Vancouver Racial and Ethno-Cultural Equity Advisory Committee calls for Race-based health data collection in British Columbia.

Read the news release PDF file (342 KB)

October 19, 2018

On October 19, 2018, the CCAC released their Spaces Report as well as a Final Report, upon the completion of their term.

• View the Spaces Report PDF file (1 MB)
• View the Final Report PDF file (5 MB)

2017 in review

An overview of the committee's 2017 accomplishments and future goals as presented at the Council of Council's on October 12, 2017.

• View the poster PDF file (265 KB)

August 28, 2017

On August 28, 2017 the CCAC released a statement condemning the recent rise in anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic protests, violence, and vitriol.

• Read the statement PDF file (299 KB)

2017-2018 work plan

The 2017-2018 Work Plan summarizes the high priority objectives for the committee term and establishes an action plan to achieve those objectives.

• View the Work Plan PDF file (108 KB)

2016 in review

An overview of the committee's 2016 accomplishments and future goals as presented at the Council of Council's on November 9, 2016.

• View the poster PDF file (402 KB)

2012-2014 term in review

An overview of the committee's closing term accomplishments and recommendations for continuation of the work was presented at the Council of Council's December 2014.

• View the committee's presentation PDF file (208 KB)