An official signing ceremony was held at the City of Airdrie on Friday, February 17, signifying Airdrie becoming a member of the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.

The CIM is a network of Canadian cities that have pledged to improve their practices promoting social inclusion, establish policies to eradicate racism and discrimination, and promote human rights and diversity.

Nearly 100 Canadian cities have joined the CIM, including 19 cities in Alberta. Deputy Mayor Heather Spearman was chosen as the City’s representative on the coalition and will be championing the initiative locally.

“It will be my pleasure to take on this role to share learnings and announcements from the network, and keep the city engaged and informed in the action plan moving forward,” said Spearman.

To celebrate the signing, City Council was joined by members of a number of local organizations completing important work in the areas of equity and inclusion.

“In joining this coalition, we gain skills and knowledge that will help us work together with our local community partners and continue to make Airdrie an inclusive and safe place for all,” said Mayor Peter Brown

“By joining the CIM we will be part of a group of communities from across Canada who have experiences with the challenges we face as we work towards fostering a welcoming city for all,” said Pauline Clark, City of Airdrie team leader of Social Planning. “Through the coalition, we will have access to knowledge and resources that will help us address these challenges and eliminate racism and other forms of discrimination.”

Airdrie City Council voted unanimously to join the CIM in November, as part of their commitment to removing social and physical barriers to equity and inclusion in our community.

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