Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Black communities continue to live with the effects of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred—from unconscious bias to anti-Black hate crimes and violence. This has its origins in Canada’s history of colonialism, slavery, and segregation. Despite decades of work by Black communities to reduce the injustices affecting Black people, inequalities continue to exist in Canada. The murder of a Black man, George Floyd from Minnesota, US, on May 25, 2020 by police, galvanized mass international protests against anti-Black racism, systemic discrimination and police brutality. Similar incidents have also occurred in Canada.

Canada’s Black Justice Strategy (the Strategy) is the federal government’s response to address anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination that has led to the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system, including as victims of crime. The Strategy will aim to help ensure that Black people have access to equal treatment and equal protection before the law in Canada.

The Strategy is being developed in collaboration with an external Steering Group of Black experts and leaders and in consultation with Black communities across Canada. This work will ensure that the Strategy reflects the diversity of experiences, backgrounds, and regional realities of Black people in Canada, as well as different intersectionalities such as disability, mixed racial heritage, language, gender, sexual orientation, religion and age.

At the international level, Canada’s Black Justice Strategy will help respond to the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024)’s call to action, which recognizes the barriers experienced by Black people, including in the criminal justice system, and urges reform and modernization of justice systems across the world.

Legend

Completed

Current stage

Yet to occur

Current status

Completed

Establishment of Steering Group

Current stage

Consultations with Black communities

Yet to occur

Final Strategy Report from the external Steering Group

Yet to occur

Development and release of the Implementation Plan

Yet to occur

Implementation of Canada's Black Justice Strategy

Share your views

Participate in consultations and engagements to inform the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

The Framework

Read the Framework, developed by the external Steering Group to guide consultations and engagements on Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

External Steering Group

Meet the external Steering Group that will provide strategic advice on the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Next steps

Overview of the different phases and next steps for the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about engagement on and the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Additional information and resources

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