UVic named one of Canada's best diversity employers for the tenth year

The University of Victoria has been named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers for 2021 for the tenth consecutive year. Winners of the 2021 competition were announced March 2.

The national competition recognizes 70 employers that lead the way in creating inclusive workplaces for employees from five diverse groups: women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and LGBTQ2 peoples. UVic was among seven universities from across the country to be honoured.

We are truly honoured to be a top diversity employer. UVic is greatly enriched by the contributions of our community and we’re committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone. We are continuing to pursue new initiatives to further our efforts and ensure an equitable and welcoming working and learning environment on our campus.
—AVP Human Resources Kane Kilbey

The university was selected for a range of leading diversity initiatives, including:

• Creating the world's first Indigenous law program, holding its first intake of students in 2018—students will graduate with Canadian common law (JD) and Indigenous legal orders (JID) degrees, enabling them to help Indigenous peoples and Canada build enduring political and legal relationships.
• The Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities features improved accessibility, with family change rooms with space for transgendered individuals and space for CanAssist, an on-campus organization that helps persons with disabilities improve their quality of life.
• CanAssist works with Vikes Athletics and Recreation to create accessible, inclusive athletic and recreational programming. Events include hosting national wheelchair rugby training camps, participating in OneAbility ProMotion Week, and showcasing wheelchair basketball demos during half-time at Vikes basketball games.

Other diversity initiatives that have previously been recognized include the establishment of the world’s first Chair in Transgender Studies to further research related to the lives of trans and gender non-conforming people and the university libraries’ Transgender Archives, which is committed to preserving the history of pioneering transgender activists, community leaders and researchers.

UVic will be deepening its commitment to diversity and inclusion principles in 2021-22 during the planning process for an institutional Equity Action Plan. The plan will be aimed at addressing systemic barriers to equity, diversity and inclusion, and embedding anti-racism and anti-oppression initiatives and actions for transformative and systemic change.

See UVic’s full profile and the complete results of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2021)