A new demographic survey is an opportunity to make systemic racism visible within provincial services, says a member of B.C.鈥檚 Anti-Racism Data Committee.
The province launched the survey Wednesday (June 14).
鈥淢ost of the government programs and services we rely on today were not designed with people who look like us in mind, and as a result, too often we experience exclusion or harm in those programs,鈥� explained committee member Ellen Kim speaking at the Chinatown Storytelling Centre in Vancouver.
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The information collected through the survey is aimed at helping the province 鈥渄eliver stronger, more accessible, and more inclusive programs and services for everyone.鈥� It was created through engagement with Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities and includes questions related to race, ethnicity, ancestry and other areas of identity.
The release of the survey follows the Anti-Racism Data Committee releasing its 12 key priorities in May. The committee was announced last year, with 11 members being announced in September 2022.
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June Francis is chair of the committee. She acknowledged that in B.C. and Canada鈥檚 history data has 鈥渂een used against us鈥� to cause harm and exclusion. She pointed to the Chinese Head Tax, which ran from 1885 to 1923.
鈥淚 hear the frustration of communities. We understand. It鈥檚 been hundreds of years. There鈥檚 no question that communities are frustrated.鈥�
Citizens鈥� Services Minister Lisa Beare said she has heard from Indigenous Peoples and racialized groups that they are being left behind because government services weren鈥檛 designed with them in mind.
鈥淭he system we鈥檝e created is a colonial government and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here to dismantle.鈥�
She said the survey is for every single British Columbian.
鈥淵ou wouldn鈥檛 think, necessarily, that you need to take the survey if you鈥檙e someone who looks like me, a middle-aged white woman, but we need to know what my access level is to services and if it鈥檚 different than someone else. If I鈥檓 receiving different services than other people, we need to fix that.鈥�
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Francis has previously said she鈥檚 looking for legislation that has 鈥渢eeth.鈥� This survey is foundational to that.
鈥淭his is the beginning, like opening up your mouth but not quite biting on it yet,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f we don鈥檛 understand where the gaps are, if we cannot demonstrate where the gaps are, if we can鈥檛 measure where the gaps are so we can monitor the progress, it will make it very difficult to actually have service changes and policy changes that have teeth.鈥�
The survey is available and in 15 languages, or people can take the survey by call toll-free to 1-833-376-2452. It is conducted by BC Stats, and personal identifiers will be removed when survey responses are combined with information about government programs and services.
It鈥檚 open until Sept. 29, 2023.
lauren.collins@blackpress.ca
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