Diversity on Governance Boards

The diversity of Canada’s major cities is well-known. However, this diversity is not reflected in the leadership of the public and non-profit boards in these cities. This research is part of a national project in six Canadian cities (London, Hamilton, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver) that will study the representation of visible minorities and immigrants on governance boards in the public and non-profit sectors. This project will focus on the diverse leadership in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Metro Vancouver, and will provide and update data on the representation of diversity in the governance in these cities, as well as investigate the difference that such diversity makes on governing boards as well as the quality of that difference. This study will contribute significantly to the sparse scholarship on diversity, immigration, and visible minorities in Canada’s rapidly changing demographic context. Additionally, it will provide data that serves Canadian society and economy. Many studies have shown the benefits and advantages of greater diversity in leadership. Tracking the diversity of Canada’s major cities is one way of measuring our proximity to representative leadership in governance within the multicultural context of Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

June Francis;Wendy Cukier

Student:

Partner:

Toronto-Dominion Bank;The Laurier Institution

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Finance and Insurance

University:

Simon Fraser University; Toronto Metropolitan University

Program: