Canada Research Chair public accountability

Waterloo is committed to equity and respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity throughout the University. At Waterloo, we aim to attract and retain outstanding and diverse faculty members, enabling us to thrive in an increasingly global economy. The Canada Research Chairs Program is critical for advancing our goals and is built upon foundational values of diversity, inclusion, and equity. 

Charmaine Dean, Vice-President, Research and International

Taking a strategic approach to equity includes an equitable Canada Research Chairs (CRC) recruitment and selection process that promotes the inclusion of the four designated groups (FDG). Waterloo aims to attract and retain the best, brightest, and diverse faculty members in our pursuit of being recognized as one of the top innovation universities in the world; bringing together the best minds stimulates new ideas and creative solutions to global challenges, as laid out in our Strategic Research Plan. Through strategies outlined in Waterloo’s CRC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan and other efforts on campus, an aspiration to create an even more inclusive and diverse environment will enable Waterloo to excel in an increasingly global economy.

Date modified: April 2020

CRC logo.

What are the four designated groups? 

The Federal Government introduced the Employment Equity Act to ensure that employers engage in proactive employment practices that increase representation of four designated groups (FDG): women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous people, and persons with disabilities.

Why an Equity Action Plan?

Waterloo is committed to identifying and removing systemic barriers to ensure and increase the sustained participation of individuals from the FDG within the CRC program and the greater university community.