TIMMINS, ON – The Project Advisory Group leading the Timmins Diversity Awareness Project is pleased to launch a series of videos that highlight the diversity that exists within Timmins and the importance of cross-cultural learning in addressing racism and discrimination. The videos feature local residents sharing their stories and experiences, as well as inspiring messages of how everyone can help foster a welcoming and inclusive community for people from all cultural backgrounds.
“I am extremely happy to have participated in the Timmins Diversity Awareness Project,” said Noémie Rodrigue, a local entrepreneur and one of four residents featured in the video series. “It was very important for me to have the chance to share my story and explain the importance of diversity in our community.”
According to the 2021 Census, the demographic proportion of Timmins who identify as Indigenous is now 14.9%, a 3.5% increase from five years ago. There has also been a positive shift in the number of residents whose mother tongue is neither English nor French, up one whole percentage to 5.5%. This growth is led primarily by increased immigration to Timmins of people speaking Indo-Aryan languages, which include Punjabi and Gujarati.
“Timmins has always been a community made up of different cultures, and every year we are growing more diverse,” said Dr. Audrey Penner, Chair of the Timmins Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) Board of Directors. “It’s this cultural diversity that enriches our community and strengthens our local economy, bringing together people with varied skills, perspectives, and experiences.”
The full-length videos can be watched in their entirety on the TEDC website here.
Made possible in part by the Government of Canada, the Timmins Diversity Awareness Project is one of 85 projects selected across the country to receive funding through the Anti-Racism Action Program, which provides funding for projects that address barriers to employment, justice, and social participation among Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities.
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For more information, please contact Kelsey Luxton at kelsey.luxton@timmins.ca or (705) 360-2656.
About the TEDC
The TEDC is the city’s non-profit community economic development team. We facilitate and support economic and social activity that creates jobs, diversifies the economy and improves quality of life.
