UFCW Canada Applauds Changes Made to the Employment Equity Act

Ottawa – December 18, 2023 – The Federal government recently announced crucial changes to the Employment Equity Act following advocacy from labour unions and other advocacy groups.

 The Employment Equity Act (EEA) was created in 1986 to break down barriers preventing marginalized persons from achieving their full potential in the workplace. On December 11, 2023, the federal government announced changes to the Act which will be made, following the implementation of a July 2021 Task Force and submissions considered from labour unions and civil society. UFCW Canada joined other unions in making a submission during the consultation process.

We are pleased to report that the following changes which will be legislated into the EEA:

• Black people and 2SLGBTQI+ people as two new designated groups
• The replacement of “Aboriginal Peoples” with “Indigenous Peoples” and an updated definition to include First Nations, Métis and Inuit, along with consistency with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
• The replacement of “members of visible minorities” with “racialized people” and an updated definition
• The alignment of the definition of “persons with disabilities” with the Accessible Canada Act

These changes are first steps in additional recommendations which remain to be implemented and which arise from the Taskforce’s report, A Transformative Framework to Achieve and Sustain Employment Equity. While we celebrate the gains made, we remain committed and involved in labour consultations to ensure a continued intersectional and meaningful approach to ensuring workers employed in federally regulated sectors can count on the language in the EEA in defence of their rights. 

Read the Report Executive Summary here.

Read the UFCW Canada 2022 Submission to the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force here.