This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured
official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source
document governs.
Snapshot 438a35975ae9 · verified 2026-06-05 ·
original document ·
archived snapshot ·
unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.
<!-- image -->
## Title
1. (1) This policy shall be known as the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team Policy.
## Authority
2. (1) This policy is pursuant to Section 9 of the Dismantling Racism and Hate Act, SNS 2022 and Section 23(1)(c) of the Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, as amended from time to time.
## Definitions
3. (1) In this Policy, the following words shall have the following meanings:
2. (a) "Act" means the Dismantling Racism and Hate Act, SNS 2022, as amended;
3. (b) "Action Team" refers to the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team of the Municipality of the County of Inverness;
4. (c) "Council" means the Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness;
5. (d) "Councillor" means a Councillor of the Municipality of the County of Inverness;
6. (e) "Hate" means provocation, hostility or intolerance by means of threats, harassment, abuse, incitement or intimidation motivated by the actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, disability or sexual orientation of any person;
7. (f) "Minister" means the Minister responsible for the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives;
8. (g) "Municipality" means the Municipality of the County of Inverness;
9. (h) "Office" means the Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives;
## Municipality of the County of Inverness Diversity and Inclusion Action Team Policy
| Policy Number: | 2025-05-08 |
|------------------|--------------|
| Effective Date: | 2025-05-08 |
- (i) "prescribed" means prescribed by the regulations;
- (i) "Program Coordinator" means the person appointed by the Municipality to coordinate the Municipality's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategy and its Action Team for the Municipality;
- (k) "public body" means
- (i) the Government,
- (ii) a prescribed municipality,
- (ill) a prescribed university, or
- (iv) a prescribed organization;
- (1) "racism" means the discrimination or antagonism by, or the prejudice of, an individual, community or institution against a person or people based on the person's or people's membership or perceived membership in a racial or ethnic group, and having the power to carry out that discrimination, antagonism or prejudice through institutional policies and practices that shape cultural beliefs and values of a society;
- (m) "Strategy" means the Municipality's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategy.
## Purpose of this Policy
4. (1) The purpose of this policy is to establish the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team and to set out its objectives, mandate and organizational structure.
## Objective of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team
5. (1) The objective of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team is to provide advice and recommendations to Council, in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion. The action team plays a pivotal role in helping the Municipality become an inclusive organization and develop a strategy to meet its obligations under Nova Scotia's Dismantling Hate and Racism Act, SNS 2022, as amended from time to time.
## Mandate of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Team
6. 1) The Diversity and Inclusion Action Team must do the following:
2. (a) Advise Council on the preparation, implementation and effectiveness of the Municipality's Strategy. In accordance with the Dismantling Racism and Hate Act, the strategy must include:
- i) A report on measures the Municipality has taken and intends to take to monitor the Strategy;
2. Information on procedures the Municipality has in place to assess the following for their effect on equity, diversity, and inclusion:
3. (a) Any of the Municipality's proposed policies, programs, practices, and services; and
4. (b) Any proposed enactments or by-laws the Municipality will be administering; and
5. Any other information prescribed by the Act and its regulations, as amended from time to time.
6. (b) Review and update the Strategy at least every three years, in accordance with the Act;
7. (c) Facilitate meaningful engagement with marginalized communities;
8. (d) Advise Council on the impact of municipal policies, programs and services on people from marginalized and racialized communities in the Municipality;
9. (e) Review and monitor existing and proposed bylaws of the Municipality to promote full participation of people from marginalized communities in accordance with the Dismantling Racism and Hate Act;
10. (f) Advise and make recommendations to Council about strategies designed to achieve the objectives of the Strategy;
11. (g) Receive and review information from Council and its committees, and make recommendations, as requested;
12. (h) Raise awareness of the importance of equity and anti-racism and the elements that contribute to equity and anti-racism; and
13. (i) Assist in monitoring the Municipality's compliance with federal and provincial government directives and regulations related to accessibility.
## Membership
7. (1) The Action Team reports to Council.
- (2) All members of the Action Team must be appointed by a resolution of Council.
- (3) The Action Team will consist of six (6) voting members who serve without pay.
- (4) At least one-half of the members of the Action Team members must be persons from marginalized or racialized communities or representatives from organizations that represent persons from marginalized or racialized communities.
- (5) The terms of appointment shall be for three (3) years;
- (6) Each year, the Action Team shall elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair from among its members.
- (7) Any member of the Action Team is eligible for re-appointment, to a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms.
- (8) If any member of the Action Team vacates the Action Team for any reason at any time prior to the expiry of their term, Council must promptly appoint a new member to the Action Team to hold office for the unexpired term.
- (9) Any member of the Action Team who is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings of the Action Team, forfeits office as a member of the Action Team, unless the absence is caused by illness or is authorized by resolution of the Action Team and noted in the meeting minutes.
## Meetings
- 8 (1) The Action Team must meet at least six (6) times per year, or as needed to fulfill its duties.
- (2) Meetings of the Action Team must be open to the public.
- (3) A majority of the members of the Action Team constitutes a quorum.
- (4) The Action Team may establish working groups to explore specific issues related to the Strategy and/or to other responsibilities. A working group may include additional members from the community who are not members of the Action Team. The chair of a working group must be a member of the Action Team.
## Reporting Requirement
- 9 (1) The Diversity and Inclusion Action Team must:
- (a) maintain minutes of its meetings and working groups which must be available for review by the public; and
- (b) submit written reports to Council as required by Council.
## Policy Review
10(1) This Policy must be reviewed every three (3) years from the effective/amended date.
<!-- image -->
## Approval:
This is to certify that the above policy was adopted by Council of the Municipality of the County of Inverness on May 8, 2025.
Keith Mentall
Keith MacDonald, Chief Administrative Officer
<!-- image -->