Civic engagement is central to EMC’s mission to empower ethnocultural and equity‑deserving communities to thrive by ensuring their voices are heard at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. EMC works to create inclusive and accessible spaces where community members can actively participate in decision‑making processes that shape policies, programs, and services affecting their lives.
As part of the City of Edmonton’s Migrant Action Plan, EMC played a key role by leading community focus group discussions with migrants from four distinct ethnocultural communities. These discussions were intentionally conducted in participants’ native languages, Tagalog, Swahili, Punjabi, and Ukrainian to remove language barriers and support meaningful participation and authentic expression.
By facilitating dialogue in culturally safe and familiar settings, EMC ensured that participants were able to share lived experiences, challenges, and priorities directly and confidently. The insights gathered through these multilingual focus groups provided valuable, community‑informed feedback that helped inform the City of Edmonton’s implementation of its Migrant Action Policy, strengthening inclusive planning and responsive civic decision‑making.
