Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategist

Why join CMHA Peel Dufferin?

Support your community. Advance your career. Fulfill your purpose.

Joining the Canadian Mental Health Association – Peel Dufferin Branch means you’ll be part of something meaningful. For starters, we’re honored to have received the Canadian Non-Profit Employer of Choice Award for our efforts to help people live better. Providing support and services to those who live with mental illness and addictions, we’re committed to increasing awareness and addressing the stigma surrounding mental health. That’s why we’ve made it a priority to create a diverse organization that represents the communities we serve – and the people we help.

What We Offer

As a community-based agency, we’re dedicated to the mental, physical, and social health of everyone – including our team members. That’s why we’re proud to offer a total rewards package that helps our team members balance their professional and home life. You’ll also be empowered to keep learning new skills and reaching your goals – from developing a career growth plan to participating in training sessions.

 
In addition to competitive benefits like Employee Family Assistance Plan and optional extended health and dental benefits, we offer our team members some unique perks that really stand out:  

4 weeks accrued vacation 

Up to 18 paid sick days accrued per year, plus 2 flexible days each year

HOOPP Pension Plan

Ongoing professional development plus $250 annual funding for continuing education and certifications

$350 annual allowance to invest in achieving your personal wellness goals

Participation in organizational pay for performance incentive program

We are looking for an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategist  to join our team!

Reporting to the Director, People and Culture, the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Strategist serves as a champion, strategic partner, and thought leader to advance a broad, thorough lens of EDIA within CMHA Peel Dufferin in a hands-on manner. They will be responsible for coordinating and executing projects and initiatives across the organization that address health equity and equity, diversity and inclusion matters as well as accessibility, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Status: Permanent full-time, 37.5 hours per week. Note, this posting is for an active vacancy.
Salary: $75,509.31-$89,160.03 annually. (Candidate qualifications will be considered when determining the starting salary)
Location:  This position is based out of our 601-7700 Hurontario St., Brampton office. Although we operate within a hybrid workplace model, staff are required to have on-site and/or community presence as per program and client needs.

What You Will Do:

Develop and execute a comprehensive EDI and accessibility strategy aligned with CMHA Peel Dufferin’s mission, vision, and values, driving an inclusive and equitable organizational culture.

Provide consultation and strategic guidance and advice, including resources and tools, to senior leadership, management, and staff and CMHA branches to promote equity-based practices for community mental health and health equity.

Collaborate with People and Culture team to design and implement initiatives fostering respect, belonging, and cultural awareness, enhancing employee engagement and retention in alignment with the People and Culture strategy

Co-chair the internal Health Equity committee by assisting in planning meetings, undertaking research, facilitating meeting, operationalizing objectives on behalf of the committee, advising on matters that might be brought to the teams

Serve as advisor to senior leadership on key change initiatives, projects and business case applications in order to achieve key deliverables.

Analyze and simplify complex information from multiple sources to inform strategic planning, organizational priorities, and equity-focused initiatives.

Partner with leaders and corporate functions to integrate EDIA principles into workforce and organizational policies, procedures, and standards.

Collaborate with leadership team and staff to ensure that organizational practices and client services are provided through the perspective of an anti-racist informed and anti-oppressive lens.

Ensure impactful EDI training programs are created for employees and managers, enhancing awareness, understanding, and skills to promote inclusivity and cultural competence.

This posting description indicates the key responsibilities and core functions of the position. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities.

What You Need to Join Our Team:

Completion of post-secondary education in relevant discipline (Equity Studies, Social Justice, Human Rights, Sociology, Social Sciences, Human Resources) or equivalent combination of education and related experience

Minimum 3 years’ experience directly supporting and building inclusive workplaces.

Experience with design and facilitation of EDI topics including anti-racism, anti-oppression, unconscious bias, and cultural awareness

Hands-on experience supporting organizational policy implementation related to anti-discrimination and equal employer opportunity is an asset

Experience working in the mental health and addictions, or broader community and social services sectors is an asset

Familiarity with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

Lived experience as a member of an equity deserving group, is considered an asset.

Demonstrated and practical understanding of racism and intersectionality, and differing elements of diversity such as identities including gender identity/expression, gender, race/cultural background, sex, religion, sexual orientation, ability/disability, immigrant professionals, family status etc.

Demonstrated and practical understanding of systemic biases and barriers to workplace inclusion

Skilled at engaging in matters that require sensitivity and empathy across a diverse community, excellent judgement, and discretion.

Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to approach, listen, build trust, and communicate across diverse cultures and intersectionality. Willingness to continually improve understanding around cultural competence.

Openness to operate from an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, 2SLGBTQ+ affirming and intersectional framework.

Willingness to learn and apply practical understanding of different elements of diversity, such as gender identity/expression, race/cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, disability, immigration and precarious status, family status, etc.

Fluency in a second language, including ASL (American Sign Language) is considered an asset.

Ability to travel within and around Peel Region and Dufferin County

A satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening (Police Check) report

Deadline to Apply:  Tuesday May 26th 2026 at 5:00 PM

At the Canadian Mental Health Association – Peel Dufferin Branch, we provide a wide array of community services, resources, and care for people with mental illness. In your role, you’ll not only assist people who are struggling, you’ll help them return to good health and reintegrate into the community. In everything we do, we work together to make the world a better place – one person at a time.

Apply Now and EMPOWER your career!

CMHA Peel Dufferin strives to be an equitable employer. We are committed to supporting inclusive recruitment and selection processes, work environments and a qualified workforce reflective of the diverse populations we serve. We acknowledge that removing existing barriers and preventing new barriers is required to foster dignity and independence for people of all ages, genders, cultures, and abilities. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including but not limited to, First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and Urban Indigenous (FNIMUI) populations, ethno-racial communities, people with disabilities, *2SLGBTQIA+ communities, women and gender diverse people, low-income communities, those with a personal lived or living experience navigating mental health, substance use and/or addiction challenges and personal recovery and all equity-deserving groups.

*2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and a range of gender and sexual diversity categories not listed).

Accessibility Statement

When contacted by CMHA Peel Dufferin for a career opportunity, please advise the People and Culture Department of any accommodation needs that may make your experience through the recruitment process more comfortable. We are committed to working with you to meet these needs by providing reasonable accommodations, ensuring you have access to a fair and equitable process. We are continuously working to improve our accessibility practices and welcome any feedback or suggestions on how we can better accommodate candidates with accessibility needs. Should you have feedback, please email us at [email protected]

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruitment

To streamline our recruitment process, we utilize an applicant tracking system (ATS) to manage and organize applications. While the ATS aids in efficiency, the essential review and evaluation of candidates is carried out by members of our People and Culture team. This approach ensures a personalized assessment that allows us to gain a comprehensive view of a candidate’s experience, skills and potential. AI is not used to make any decisions in our recruitment process.

Next Steps

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted. We retain all applications submitted for one (1) year after the closing date of the posting for consideration in future career opportunities.