EDI as a driver of change: when the municipality makes a difference (Presentation)
Paul-Antoine Martel, City of Val-d'Or
In French | Simultaneous interpretation in English and LSQ
Over the past seven years, the City of Val-d’Or in Abitibi-Témiscamingue has undertaken various initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Today, these issues affect the First Nations communities in the city as much as the immigrant population or people with disabilities. As a result, municipalities are taking measures to ensure that various municipal services and policies reflect the desire to draw attention to EDI-related concerns across all sectors. In many ways, these practices are beneficial to the cultural industries and can offer inspiring approaches. In this presentation, Paul-Antoine Martel, representative of the City of Val-d’Or, shares the successes, failures, opportunities and challenges that municipal organizations face, using the example of Val-d’Or and a few other initiatives elsewhere in Quebec.
Paul-Antoine Martel
Employed by the City of Val-d’Or since 2004, Paul-Antoine Martel is a community relations advisor. In this capacity, he coordinates the family and social development files, particularly focusing on accessibility to services for people with disabilities, the anti-racism and anti-discrimination committee and the newcomers’ reception committee, in addition to representing the City within a local consortium on homelessness. He co-founded a community of practice in welcoming immigrants in the regions of Quebec (CERAMIQ) and represented Val-d’Or’s membership in the Canadian Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.
