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Mayor's Message
On behalf of the Town of Westville's Council, Accessibility Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
(ADEI) Advisory Committee and all staff I welcome and encourage you to read Westville's
Equity and Anti-Racism Plan.
The Westville plan was built in concert with the municipalities of Pictou, County of Pictou,
Stellarton and Trenton. The five municipalities worked together to develop a common plan
to make the entire Pictou County area open and welcoming, while still reflecting Westville's
priorities as we move forward into a bright future where growth and development will bring
positive change and greater diversity to the town. Over time both I and Council expect that
the priorities and areas of focus outlined in the following pages will evolve as Westville
grows and changes. In short, the plan will be a 'living document', meaning it will adapt and
change with time.
The plan reflects the desire of Westville to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of all
residents and visitors. Westville's goal is to be a model community that is
welcoming, inclusive and accepting of all regardless of age, ability, race, creed, sexual
orientation or place of origin.
With this in mind, I encourage you to become involved by voicing your concerns, questions,
suggestions and ideas to the Accessibility Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) Advisory
Committee, or Town Council, at any time. All meetings of the Committee are open to the
public.
I am thankful for the dedicated citizen volunteers who have worked passionately to make
this plan a reality. Their work together with our council and staff involvement will assure
that Westville reaches the goal of becoming a community that is even more
welcoming, inclusive and accepting of all regardless of age, ability, race, creed, sexual
orientation, or place of origin.
Lennie White
Mayor
Town of Westville
Executive Summary
The Towns of Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton, Westville, and the Municipality of Pictou County,
acknowledge and recognize the value of diversity and the importance of fostering a regional
community where everyone feels valued, heard, included, and at home.
This regional plan is our commitment to eliminate systemic barriers, promote equitable
opportunities, and empower our underserved communities across Pictou County and
beyond.
We welcome residents and visitors alike to view our plan and share with us ways to make
Pictou County feel like home.
Overview
The Towns of Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton, Westville, and the Municipality of Pictou County,
acknowledge the historical exclusion of Indigenous, Black, and newcomer communities and
commit to actively addressing their needs.
This plan was created with a regional approach as we recognize that all of our municipalities
needed to develop a foundation to build upon that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and
belonging (DEIB). A regional approach will ensure that underserved communities will have
the same equitable experience regardless of which town they live, work, and play in across
Pictou County.
The five municipalities have been invited to work with the Town of New Glasgow's Inclusive
Communities Committee to ensure that our region has a regional perspective on the work
for equity and anti-racism as well as ensure we are accountable to our respective plans, have
feedback from first-person perspective, and develop allyship with underserved and
underrepresented communities. We will engage communities through this committee,
surveys, and other appropriate means to ensure that quality community engagement
continues throughout the year. This plan will be reviewed and updated annually to reflect the
needs and changes of our underserved communities.
Vision
A safe and inclusive region that fosters community connection, well-being, and support. A
region where the experiences, the sounds, the voices, and the feeling tells people that they
belong.
Goals
Learn: Provide ongoing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility training for staff and
elected officials and incorporate education into daily action and organizational culture.
Collaborate: Connect with community organizations and businesses to learn approaches
that foster collaboration and encourage community outreach to underserved communities.
Communicate: Amplify the voices of those who are underserved. Make DEIB a part of our
storytelling and communications. Create messaging that reflects the commitment to DEIB.
Provide: Offer and adapt services and programs to address the needs of underserved
communities in our municipalities.
Actions
Area of Focus
Commitment
Target
Learn
Provide mandatory training for
staff and council on equity and
anti-racism.
Annually host minimum of one
workshop provided to all staff,
council members, and
committee representatives.
Provide staff and council with
opportunities for individual
learning.
Curate a list of resources by July
1, 2025, to be updated annually,
and offered to staff and council
throughout the year.
Collaborate
Engage local experts and
organizations that support
underrepresented and
underserved communities to
foster understanding and ensure
all voices are heard.
Begin engagement this year with
ongoing collaboration, measured
annually.
Solicit feedback from
underserved communities to
inform decisions, policies, and
training.
Use feedback to amend and
implement decisions, policies,
and training.
Adopt more equitable and
inclusive practices in the
recruitment of committee
volunteers.
Begin practices this year with
ongoing enhancements,
measured annually.
Adopt more equitable and
inclusive practices at all stages
of the recruitment and
employment process.
Begin practices this year with
ongoing enhancements,
measured annually.
Communicate
Develop joint plain language
commitment statement on
accessibility, diversity, equity,
and inclusion.
Signage with statement at all
public facilities.
Use an inclusion lens when
creating and amending
municipal documents.
Ongoing as documents need to
be created or amended.
Share appropriate online
educational and support
resources for external audiences.
Ongoing as resources are
available.
Provide
Identify and address recreational
programming gaps faced by
underrepresented and
underserved populations.
Ongoing as feedback is available.
Work with underrepresented and
underserved populations to
create opportunities to recognize
and acknowledge diversity in
Pictou County.
Ongoing as collaboration
increases and feedback is
available.
Identify and address barriers to
participation in municipal
programs and events.
Ongoing as feedback is available.
Glossary of Terms
Accessibility: Ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can access
information, products, services, and environments in a way that is inclusive and equal.
Allyship: Refers to the actions, behaviours, and practices that leaders take to support,
amplify, and advocate with others, especially with individuals who don't belong to the same
social identity groups as themselves.
Belonging: The emotional connection, feeling of security and support, and sense of
acceptance individuals experience within a group, community, or organization
Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people,
especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or ability.
Diversity: Any characteristic, dimension, or view that can be used to differentiate groups of
people, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and social
class.
Equality: Providing equal opportunities to everyone; each individual or group of people is
given the same resources.
Equity: Providing opportunities and resources that account for an individual's specific needs
to overcome barriers.
Inclusion: Refers to an environment where everyone feels respected and valued, and has
equal opportunities, regardless of their background or identity.
Oppression: A situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and
prevented from having opportunities and freedom.
Prejudice: Preconceived opinions that are not based on reason or actual experience, often
on a basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, or social class.
Racism: Prejudice or discrimination against a person or people on the basis of race or
ethnicity, typically one that is a minority or marginalized.
Systemic Racism: Patterns of behaviour, policies, or practices that are part of the structures
of an organization, and which create or perpetuate disadvantage for racialized persons.