As we mark the start of Black History Month, we have an important opportunity to honour the experiences, achievements and contributions of Black people and communities to the history, impact and growth of Canada. We also have an opportunity to reflect on the work that still needs to be done to address the persistent challenges of anti-Black racism and inequity, in health care and beyond.

When I joined Unity Health Toronto last summer, I quickly learned how committed the organization is to our work towards anti-racism, equity and social accountability. As many organizations in Canada and abroad deprioritize equity, diversity and inclusion programs, Unity Health continues to lean in. The work we do in this space isn’t just a priority; it’s a core value that continues to be embedded in every aspect of our operations, from patient care to staff experiences to community engagement.

Last year, Unity Health completed our most recent Employee Engagement Survey, which showed that feelings towards the organization’s equity efforts had improved among Black staff and physicians since our last survey in 2022. In particular, positive responses increased from 44% to 57% when Black staff and physicians answered the prompt, “I feel this organization values and promotes an environment that supports diversity and inclusion.” These results affirm that our efforts to build an equitable, anti-racist workplace and patient care experience are making an impact.

We know that there is still much work to be done to address anti-Black racism and heal the disparities that affect the communities we serve. Today, as we mark the start of Black History Month, I’d like to provide an update on our efforts to combat anti-Black racism last year and our plans for the year ahead.

What we accomplished in 2025

  • Completed a five-year review of Black perinatal health outcomes at Unity Health, including rates of pre-eclampsia, breast feeding supports and C-section outcomes, to better understand the birthing experiences of Black patients and how they differ from white patients. The review showed that Black patients had worse outcomes across these indicators. This information will help inform our commitments for 2026, which you can learn more about below.
  • Engaged Black community members in Unity Health’s plans for data governance, hosting focus groups to understand what Black patients need from Unity Health to trust us with their data.
  • Drafted a framework for race-based data collection at Unity Health, guided by Black patients.
  • Developed the first draft of the anti-racism policy that aims to mitigate, identify and remove institutional racism that affects everyone who learns, works or receives care at Unity Health.
  • Held three staff sessions on Black mental health, in partnership with Dr. Amy Gajaria, psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and associate scientist in the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth and Family Mental Health, with the aim to increase awareness and skills in proving culturally responsive care for Black youth.

Our work this year was anchored in community building and engagement. To properly address the challenges that Black people face within our system, we need to understand the unique experiences of Black patients at Unity Health. Solutions must then be co-designed and co-created with Black patients, families and community members. Thank you to everyone who devoted their time, leadership and feedback to these efforts this year.  

Where we came up short

In 2025, we hoped to recruit a Chair in Anti-Racism and Health Equity to help drive knowledge translation and innovation in solutions to better address, identify and eliminate racism within health care. Recruitment is ongoing and we plan to have someone in place later this year.

Concrete actions Unity Health will take in 2026

  • Invite Black community members to participate in an engagement table that will advance efforts to improve Black perinatal birthing experiences, including a plan to address differences in outcomes between Black and white patients.
  • Launch our framework for race-based data collection at Unity Health, ensuring ongoing community leadership on how race-based data is used.
  • Obtain approval and roll out Unity Health’s anti-racism policy and corresponding framework, which guide the actions of teams and individuals to address racism in the workplace and be anti-racist.
  • The Black Staff Affinity Group at Unity Health is launching a “welcome wagon” to meet and greet new Black staff, building a sense of community within the organization.

Concrete actions for individuals

I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done this year, and want to thank everyone who’s contributed. We still have a long way to go, but please know that I’m deeply committed to maintaining our momentum. We’ve built an exceptional foundation and I look forward to holding myself and our leadership team accountable for measurable process as we continue to tackle ongoing anti-Black racism.

Thank you once again for your dedication and efforts in advancing this work. Wishing you all a reflective and meaningful Black History Month.

Sincerely,

Altaf Stationwala
President and CEO
Unity Health Toronto