LPPANS Statement on Anti-racism

The Licensed Professional Planners Association of Nova Scotia (LPPANS) pledges to work against racism and discrimination.

In Nova Scotia, Canada, and around the world, people are speaking up and fighting back against all types of racism and discrimination in all its forms. This is leading many of us to examine our actions and our biases. As the group representing professional land use planners in Nova Scotia, we must acknowledge the history of racism in how our profession has failed to treat Black Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq communities with the respect and dignity they deserve. We must also recognize and seek to address the lack of diversity within the profession locally and regionally. The profession of planning is founded on a commitment to serving the public good. In keeping with this foundation our profession stands in opposition to racism and discrimination against Black and Indigenous Peoples, all people of colour, and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender.

We pledge to work to eliminate systemic racism and discrimination from our profession. We will seek to use our influence and resources to commit to fostering individual and institutional change. We will seek out partnerships with racialized communities to do this work. We will work to ensure we are developing planning practitioners who understand how institutional policies and practices systematically disadvantage Black and Indigenous communities, and who will challenge and change policies and practices to promote social equity and racial justice.

To do this we are committing to action. Over the coming months we will review our learning opportunities and will add events to educate and engage our members in honest discussion about systemic racism and the ways in which planning practices can perpetuate racism; we will seek to amplify the voices of Black and Mi’kmaq communities and their experiences, unique histories, and cultures. This will include inviting more diverse voices to deliver the professional development opportunities we offer and working to build relationships with these communities.

Over the longer term, we will work to support, recruit and welcome people from Black and Mi’kmaq communities to become professional planners and to assist them through their career.

We recognize these actions against systemic racism are only a start; we will continue to work with our members and with diverse communities to fight systemic racism and to build equity, social justice, and strong communities.