The Prospects for Managing Diversity in the Public Sector: The Case of the Ontario Public Service

Diversity management (DM) has become one of the critical aspects of public sector reforms in recent times because of population dynamics and demographic shifts in society. The idea is that DM can help public organizations achieve their objectives effectively, especially service delivery. In 2008, the Ontario government made DM a core part of its public sector modernization agenda, and launched its first comprehensive diversity strategy that viewed diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion as fundamental to a modern, progressive civil service. This paper aims at understanding the challenges in the implementation of diversity and inclusiveness in the Ontario public service.