News & Events

B.C. promotes equity with anti-racism research priorities

By BC Gov News |

The Province takes another step improving access to government programs and services for Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities, with the release of 12 priorities for anti-racism research.

Seven research priorities were put forward by the provincial Anti-Racism Data Committee. Indigenous Peoples recommended three research priorities and two priorities that set out how the Province should approach this research.

“Systemic racism and other forms of discrimination have shaped the delivery of government programs and services for generations,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services. “These research priorities will keep us focused on the areas that matter most to Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities, while we continue to take action to eliminate systemic racism in all our programs and services.”

The Anti-Racism Data Act (ARDA), which came into effect in June 2022, enables the safe collection and use of personal information for the purposes of identifying and eliminating systemic racism and advancing racial equity. ARDA requires the Province to establish and publish research priorities every two years, and annually release statistics or other information related to systemic racism and racial equity. ARDA also requires that the research priorities and information releases be done in a way that respects different cultures and minimizes harms to Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities.

Read full news article