A local construction developer has launched a campaign intended to “tackle and ideally eliminate” racism within the construction industry.

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On Wednesday, Tridel unveiled the campaign, named “Built for Respect,” alongside Mayor John Tory, at the construction site for The Well, a mixed-use development, at Front Street West and Spadina Avenue.

Tridel’s campaign comes after several nooses were found at Toronto construction sites, including Michael Garron Hospital in East York, earlier this year.

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“I want to thank Tridel and all of the partners for bringing this campaign to fruition. Built for Respect is not only necessary right now but an impactful way for the sector to come together and address an ongoing issue,” said Mayor John Tory.

“We have seen over the past few months an increase in racist and discriminatory threats against members of this community, and the only way in which we can fight this is by coming together and taking a stand against anti-Black racism within our city. This campaign will do just that and I look forward to supporting it.”

This morning I joined members of the construction sector to stand up against the anti-Black racism we are seeing in the city and to launch the Built For Respect campaign. #BuiltForRespect pic.twitter.com/bQNoGRyuqB

— John Tory (@JohnTory) November 4, 2020

In a news release, Tridel said it developed the campaign with its construction division Deltera. The campaign will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. A steering committee, made up of employees at all levels and across all teams of the organization, will provide direction.

Tridel and Deltera have a two to five-year plan which demonstrates the sustained commitment of the company to going beyond their own workforce to support industry and communities where they build.

Tridel organized the campaign in partnership with EllisDon, Local 183 of the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON), and Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

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“As I’ve always said, at Tridel and Deltera, the first community we build is our own. It’s our responsibility to continue to build a culture built on integrity, respect and professionalism. It’s impossible to do that without a community that embraces diversity,” says Andrea DelZotto, director and executive vice-president of community development at the Tridel Group of Companies.

“We started a very important conversation in our industry. Our Built for Respect initiative is the foundation of our efforts to educate and build awareness around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”

According to the release, Tridel’s Built for Respect mandate will work to provide clarity on what is expected and what will not be tolerated to ensure every workplace remains equitable and inclusive for everyone.

“Providing the appropriate training and education in support of anti-racism is a major milestone in raising awareness that racist acts are not typically in isolation, and that systemic racism exists within the field of construction,” reads the release.

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