Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Hub launches to address workplace shortage across the province

Workplaces across Canada are being pressured to retain employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, Canadian workplaces have to adapt, pivot and become resilient through sustainable workforce strategies like workplace equity, diversity and inclusion. 

Worker shortages in Alberta are only bound to increase as major demographic shifts are set to take place within the next decade with nearly 25 per cent of the workforce retiring by 2035. This is alongside an added 100 per cent of Canada’s population growth projected to consist mostly of immigration. 

On Feb. 9, an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Centre has launched in Alberta for workplaces and employers. Formally known as the Gate to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Hub (GEDI), it is the first and only workplace EDI hub that is accountable, transparent and inclusive of a diverse talent pool of job seekers including people with disabilities, ethnic minorities like BIPOC and newcomers.

“One of the unfortunate things, there’s so many publicly funded service providers that help underrepresented groups get into the workforce, whether those are people with disabilities, Indigenous people, new Canadians. And they spend so much time serving the job seekers that they often fail to really promote themselves and market themselves to the business community. And so, that’s a big gap that we will help fill is connecting employers to existing service providers that are out there,” said Sean McEwen, Director of GEDI-Hub

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The province-wide resource centre GEDI-Hub offers toolkits, customized consulting services and virtual workshops and events and works with all types of workplaces including small to large businesses and for and not for profit organizations.

“How we will measure success is with the direct relationships that we build with employers and how satisfied they are with those relationships.”

As a fully-funded initiative by the Government of Canada, its services are offered at no cost.

“So right at the start of the pandemic in June 2020, Gateway Association has been serving families of people with disabilities and people with disabilities since 1975. They’ve been doing employment support for the last almost 20 years in Edmonton.”

To learn more or use the services of the GEDI-Hub visit their website for more information.