Canada Research Chairs Endowment

Every institution that has been awarded five or more research chairs must develop an equity, diversity, and inclusion action plan.

Thid plan help to maintain the representation or address the underrepresentation of people from four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, and visible minorities) in those chairs. 

INRS’s strategy on equity, diversity, and inclusion meets the expectations of funding agencies and ensures transparency within its community and among the general public. 

Objective 

INRS’s objective is to maintain equitable representation of target groups within its workforce and to adapt its policies and practices accordingly for selecting candidates for Canada Research Chairs. In this regard, INRS draws on the principles it already uses to recruit, train, and promote staff. INRS aims to achieve an overall preferential appointment rate of at least 50% for all groups that face more discrimination in employment, including women, in all job categories where they are underrepresented.

INRS’s aim is to give preference to a candidate from one of these targeted and underrepresented groups at least half the time when hiring or promoting. INRS also seeks to recognize the valuable work that representatives of designated groups do in their respective fields and how important their contributions are. Similarly, it strives to foster and maintain a work environment consistent with its objectives, free from all forms of discrimination and that promotes fairness for all its employees.

Appointment of Canada Research Chairs

The INRS takes concrete action to achieve its appointment objectives and has mechanisms to monitor how successful it has been. It applies these principles to all staff, whether they teach, perform research, or provide administrative support. 

• Each time a competition is opened, managers are reminded that in cases of two applicants with equal skills, INRS seeks to recruit people from underrepresented target groups, in accordance with collective agreements. The target preferential appointment rate is 50%. 

• INRS systematically states in both internal and external postings that it is an equal opportunity employer. 

More specifically, with regard to the allocation of Canada Research Chairs, INRS: 

• ensures that members of designated groups are included on selection committees; 
• ensures that selection committee members are provided with guidelines on how to limit unintentional bias; 
• ensures that it attracts first-rate candidates from designated groups; and 
• provides the necessary support to candidates with special needs by listing resource persons available to advise them. 

Action Plan for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research 

INRS is required to make concerted efforts to achieve equity, diversity, and inclusion objectives in appointments to Canada Research Chairs. 

INRS has an action plan to help it achieve and maintain its objectives or, where necessary, address underrepresentation of individuals from the four designated groups, namely women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities. 

Progress reports (PDF) 

• 2019-2020 (document in French) 
• 2020-2021 (document in French) 
• 2021-2022 (document in French) 

Useful links for the CRC program 

• 2019 Addendum 
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Best Practices for Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention 
• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Requirements and Practices 
• Guidelines for Ensuring Fairness and Transparency in the Recruitment and Nomination Process 
• Training Module on Unconscious Bias and the Peer Review Process (in French) 
• Equity Goals and Results in Participating Institutions (Program Statistics) 
• Institution Equity Targets Based on the Program’s 2021-2029 Population