What is BIW

Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity is a new Government of Canada Grant and Contribution Program designed to support employers subject to the Employment Equity Act in their efforts to improve low representation of designated groups through partnerships and industry-tailored strategies.

Increasing diversity in Canada’s supply chain workforce leads to competitive advantage in the marketplace, and higher corporate performance and profitability. Diversity improves short term business performance by reducing costs, resolving labour shortages, accessing new markets and improving performance in existing markets. Companies with a diverse workforce have been shown to be more adaptable, have greater innovation and increased customer relations.

The Building Inclusive Workplaces project will work to identify key enablers and barriers to inclusive supply chain workplaces as they are experienced by four designated groups: women, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and members of visible minority groups.

The goals of the Building Inclusive Workplaces project are to:

• Create an understanding and an awareness of the value in building inclusive workplaces which maximize Canada’s workforce and economic opportunities
• Explore issues related to workplace equity from all four designated groups’ point of view
• Identify barriers, solutions and best practices of inclusive workplaces by engaging community and stakeholder groups in Alberta and British Columbia
• Build and enhance Canadian workplace diversity policies and practices through workshops and a corporate change model so that workplaces may become more inclusive, equitable and diverse