Question Period Note: BLACK CANADIAN COMMUNITIES

Budget 2023 proposal to provide $25 million, in 2024-25, to Employment and Social Development Canada for the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative

Investing in Black communities is an essential element of building an inclusive and resilient country that leaves no one behind.

Through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, the Government of Canada is taking meaningful steps to address the significant and unique challenges Black communities face in Canada by investing in Black-led and Black-serving organizations, initiatives and community spaces.

Budget 2023 proposes to provide an additional $25 million, in 2024-25, to Employment and Social Development Canada for the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative to continue empowering Black-led and Black-serving community organizations and the work they do to promote inclusiveness.

In recognition of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, Budget 2019 provided $25 million over five years to create the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative (SBCCI) to celebrate, share knowledge and invest in vibrant Black communities in Canada.

Budget 2021 announced $100 million in 2021-22 for the SBCCI, to address systemic inequities and support capacity building. Budget 2021 also provided Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) with $200 million in 2021-22 to create a new Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund.

Budget 2022 announced $50 million over two years, starting in 2022-23, for SBCCI to continue empowering Black-led and Black-serving community organizations and to promote inclusiveness. Budget 2022 also provided direction to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development to explore further options to continue supporting capacity building within Black-led and Black-serving community organizations in the long term.

Most recently, Budget 2023 proposes to provide $25 million, in 2024-25, to ESDC for SBCCI, to continue empowering Black-led and Black-serving community organizations and the work they do to promote inclusiveness.

To strengthen foundational infrastructure in Black communities, ESDC works in collaboration with National Funders: Groupe 3737 (Montreal), Tropicana Community Services (Toronto), Black Business Initiative (Halifax) and Africa Centre (Edmonton) to ensure that federal investments respond to the local needs of Black communities in Canada.

The National Funders Network provides funding to support capacity building to help Black-led organizations diversify income sources and financing; enhance operational management effectiveness and efficiency and strengthen capacity for governance for Black-led organizations. To date, the National Funders Network has awarded over $50 million in grants to 939 projects.

In addition, ESDC has funded, more than 1,300 projects with a total investment of more than $82 million in capital project assistance to purchase equipment and, retrofit and renovate spaces so Black-serving grassroots organizations are better equipped to fulfil their mission.

Black Communities have voiced the need to have their voices represented and integrated into government policy decisions. In response, ESDC launched the SBCCI External Reference Group (ERG) in November 2022. The ERG will provide advice to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and ESDC on the implementation of the SBCCI by:

Providing advice on promoting Black community organizations’ inclusion and removing barriers to the full participation of Black Canadians in all aspects of Canada’s economic and social life

Providing advice on current and new issues affecting Black Canadians and their communities

Supporting the Government of Canada’s efforts to advance the commitments related to the UNDPAD

Sharing knowledge and expertise on anti-Black racism issues in Canada

Additionally, $7.2 million over four years is earmarked to establish a National Institute for People of African Descent. The mandate of the Institute is to inform and influence policy and program development at all orders of government, from a Black-centric perspective.

Between 1996 and 2021, the Black population in Canada almost tripled to over 1.5 million, representing 4.3% of Canada's total population.

Data from the Census 2021 shows that Black communities in Canada continue to face unique challenges, preventing their full and meaningful participation to the Canadian Society, with a higher prevalence of low-income households, lower employment rates compared to the Canadian average, as well as a much higher likelihood of discriminatory treatment at work.

Additionally, Black communities in Canada continue to experience greater rates of poverty than the general population, with 12.4% of Black people living in poverty in 2020 in comparison to the national rate of 8.1%.

COVID-19 has exacerbated the inequities linked to anti-Black racism, and many Black communities in Canada, and the organizations that support them, are increasingly vulnerable to economic hardship.

The Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative was established in 2019, as part of Canada’s recognition of the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent to celebrate, share knowledge, and build capacity in vibrant Black communities in Canada.

“Black Canadian communities have played and continue to play an important role in building a strong and resilient Canada, despite experiencing continued systemic challenges and racism. By continuing to empower Black communities and the work they do to promote inclusiveness, we are bringing positive outcomes and changes that will ensure a more inclusive Canada where no one is left behind.”

– The Honourable Karina Gould, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development