TORONTO — A new report released Wednesday suggests the majority of Black Canadians have experienced racism or discrimination in the workplace despite gains they feel their employers have made in creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace.

According to KPMG in Canada, 77% of Black Canadians who were surveyed said they experienced various acts of racism in the workplace in the last year. This comes despite 86% saying their employer has created a more equitable and inclusive work environment.

The research also found that 78% of Black Canadians believe hate speech shared online has infiltrated the workforce. In addition, about 9 in 10 Black Canadians surveyed said they feel it’s important for business leaders to speak out against racism.

KPMG has conducted the poll gauging Black Canadians experiences in the workplace for the last four years. The research also showed that Black Canadian women have faced more racism and discrimination in the past year than Black men — 10% compared to 7%, respectively.

The research included surveys of 1,000 people who self-identified as Black Canadians. The surveys were conducted between Dec. 17, 2024, and Jan. 6, 2025.

Though most Canadians surveyed said they experienced racism and discrimination, many also shared optimistic indicators; 75% said they feel valued and respected at work the same as their non-Black colleagues. In addition, 78% said they felt confident in their employer’s ability to address and reduce systemic barriers in the next five years.

About 83 percent of Black Canadians also said they believe Canadian companies will not mimic America’s trend, and will continue to support efforts to eliminate systemic racism and biases.

More on the research and the pushback against DEI in the workplace.