The Carpenters' District Council of Ontario (CDCO) has named Chris Campbell as its new Equity and Diversity Representative.

Campbell has served as business representative of the union’s Local 27 in Toronto since 2003. He is a long-time champion of diversity issues, and dedicates his free time to working on many community-building initiatives in and around the GTA.

"I have been volunteering in the local community for many years during evenings and weekends while working for the CDCO full-time," he said. "I've worked with the Toronto Police Service, the Jamaican Canadian Association, Helping Hands Jamaica, and many other Carpenters' Union community outreach projects."

CDCO has been especially vocal about diversity and inclusion since the summer when several Toronto-area construction sites experienced racially motivated incidents. In June, it became a signatory to the Charter of Inclusive Workplaces & Communities, an initiative advanced by the Toronto & York Region Labour Council to combat racism. The union has pledged to post the charter on all job sites and in all administrative offices where its members work.

In his new role as Equity and Diversity Representative, Campbell will foster relationship building between the CDCO and members of the community to encourage all Canadians to get involved in the trades and provide guidance throughout the apprenticeship process. He will also work closely with the Toronto Community Benefits Network, where he currently sits on the board of directors, and other community organizations across the province as they are established, to encourage opportunities for equity, inclusion, and diversity in the construction industry.

"The CDCO has a duty to do our part to ensure the future of the construction industry is an inclusive one," said CDCO president Mike Yorke. "Chris' appointment is an opportunity for the CDCO to continue setting a great example for the industry by championing the recruitment and mentorship of the next generation of leaders and trade professionals."

The CDCO will continue to support inclusive and diverse workplaces, and as an industry, strengthen our collective commitment to equality, respect, and dignity for all.

The CDCO is composed of 16 affiliated local unions, and represents more than 30,000 women and men across a wide range of skilled trades, including carpentry, drywall, resilient flooring, concrete formwork, underwater construction, welding and scaffolding.