Employment Equity

What is Employment Equity?

Employment Equity is a program designed to ensure that all job applicants and employees have a fair chance in the workplace. It is achieved when no person is denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to their abilities and when systemic power and privilege are acknowledged, resulting in the redistribution of resources and the correction of disadvantages.  

Dalhousie is committed to employment equity and to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Dalhousie commits to instituting active measures to eliminate discrimination and to increase the representation of equity-deserving groups within its workforce.

Dalhousie defines equity-deserving groups as Indigenous peoples (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and other members of racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. View Definitions of Equity-Deserving Groups.

Dalhousie recently introduced an Employment Equity Plan (2022-2026) [PDF] that focuses on 7 key priorities that cover the life cycle of employment at Dalhousie and over 50 actions to help promote a more representative and inclusive workforce. Read the Plan to learn how you can contribute.

The Employment Equity Council [login required] is a group of faculty and staff members who represent different equity-deserving groups and employee groups across Dalhousie’s campuses. The Council is responsible for working through, and with, Human Resources and in collaboration with the Office of Equity and Inclusion, to provide advice on the strategic planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Employment Equity Policy and Employment Equity Plan.

Additional Information

Visit the Labour Program’s Employment Equity website for more information on employment equity in Canada.

For more information about equity and inclusion at Dalhousie visit the Office of the Vice Provost, Equity and Inclusion.