At Lemay, we apply the principle that everyone is entitled to dignity, respect and equal opportunity.
We create accessible spaces that are designed to respect and value differences, while helping to redress injustices. With people at the heart of built environments, we design places that integrate and honor the full diversity of journeys, including those of women, Indigenous peoples, ethnocultural and LGBTQIA2S+ communities, people with disabilities and those at the crossroads of these identities.
Equity, diversity, inclusion and justice are integral to Lemay’s work, because we know that the design process works best when all voices are involved.
Creating change, together
The work of our EDIJ committee and consultations with staff, who can contribute anonymously, enable us to work continuously on four priority fronts:
- Support for unbiased career development;
- Fair management practices;
- An inclusive corporate culture;
- A harassment-free workplace.
Fostering community involvement and participation
When communities are directly involved in the projects that concern them, they can better shape the decisions that affect them. We aim to create the conditions for this inclusion through proactive, equitable and informed engagement of people historically excluded from the design process.
To find out more, consult our citizen participation and human-centered design initiatives, as well as Lemay’s Public Participation Charter.
Collaborating for justice, truth and reconciliation.
We recognize our responsibility to take the first steps toward reconciliation with respect and humility, acknowledging historical truths that have been obscured for too long.
Collaborating with First Nations, Inuit and Métis guides us in integrating the principles of Indigenization and decolonization into our practice: a restorative future is taking shape, through places that foster a sense of belonging and cultural awareness, while celebrating the diversity of our communities.
Putting design at the service of diversity
Creating in a spirit of equity and inclusion means mobilizing all disciplines for diverse realities. By welcoming a plurality of experiences, we can identify and eliminate prejudice and discrimination.
Design can build a better future by creating spaces that integrate the lessons of the past and present, giving us the tools we need to bring about the desired change.
Making our commitment a reality
Discover how EDIJ principles have come to life in our recent projects:
- Through the design of living spaces adapted to autistic adults, with the Centre Lise et Yvon Lamarre;
- By creating sharing and learning spaces for aboriginal youth, with the USAY Youth Centre;
- By showcasing the legacy of great women through the Place des Montréalaises;
- In the Odea project, a commercial and residential complex imbued with symbols of the Cree nation;
- In the Eeyou Istchee Regional Hospital Centre, integrating functions associated with a holistic vision of health.
And these are just a few examples of an ongoing effort.