Brooks

City of Brooks celebrates diversity

“A community that people are proud to call home” is the vision of the City of Brooks, a community located between Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat in the heart of southeastern Alberta. One way the City of Brooks is achieving this goal is by promoting the importance of cultural diversity.

“I believe celebrating our diversity and becoming a welcoming community will enhance the quality of life for all our residents, and make Brooks a prouder, stronger community,” said Mayor Martin Shields.

In the City of Brooks, settlement and ESL services are provided to ensure newcomers to the community have the support they need to feel comfortable in their new environment. The City participates in other welcoming and inclusive initiatives including the Safe Harbour Program, which promotes inclusion and equity in the workplace, is a founding member of the Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, and hosts various cultural events throughout the year that celebrate diversity.

In September 2010, Brooks became one of the first municipalities to adopt a Welcoming and Inclusive Community Plan, outlining goals to make the community more welcoming and inclusive for all residents.

One of these initiatives involved working closely with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to be able to host Citizenship Courts in the community so residents who are obtaining Canadian Citizenship would not have to travel to a large city for the ceremony. “Brooks is their home and they should be able to celebrate this major life accomplishment with their neighbours, friends and family, in their new hometown,” said Mayor Shields.

Lisa Tiffin, sustainability coordinator for the City of Brooks, credits the success of the community’s diversity initiatives to its special blend of western hospitality and neighbourly support. “As a municipality, we’re proud to offer services to help in the welcoming, settling and integration of the wonderful people that make our community so special,” she said.

Date Updated: Aug 03, 2011
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