In Toronto, the recent appearance of four nooses at three job sites has sparked community outrage and hate-crime investigations. The latest noose, found at an unfinished Daniels Corporation residential high-rise project in the city’s Regent Park neighborhood, follows similar discoveries at two EllisDon-operated sites, including Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital, where Black construction workers found two nooses on June 10. According to CBC, both EllisDon noose incidents are being investigated as hate crimes, with Toronto Councilwoman Kristyn Wong-Tam pushing for the Daniels Corporation incident to be treated similarly.
For their part, the firms in charge of the job sites where nooses were found have acted swiftly. A local news source states that both the Daniels Corporation and EllisDon immediately notified the police. Authorities are currently piecing together whether or not the EllisDon incidents are connected, but no evidence to implicate or absolve either company’s employees has been made public as of yet.
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Each business has also launched their own investigations. According to an open letter written by EllisDon president and CEO Geoff Smith, these efforts will manifest in “recommendations on additional steps we can take to support our employees and address anti-Black racism.” Additionally, the company has convened “an internal anti-racism group to discuss next steps for developing a company-wide action plan that will make our job sites safer and more inclusive” and will explore “partnerships with organizations who support the Black community.”
In the meantime, Toronto residents have banded together to oppose the hateful acts. The Daniels Corporation participated in a recent Regent Park Against Racism rally in an effort to “embody diversity, respect, and inclusion.” Meanwhile, the Michael Garron Hospital job site has transformed into a makeshift “Shut Down Hate” art gallery, plastered with more than 400 signs and drawings sporting anti-racist language.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., similar incidents have also come to light in recent weeks. According to an open letter sent by industry group Oregon Tradeswomen, a female apprentice of color found a noose at the site of a Portland State University, Portland Community College, Oregon Health & Science University, and City of Portland joint facility on May 20, but officials were not notified until June 9. In the interim, Oregon Tradeswomen allege foremen from both subcontractor TCM Corporation and general contractor Andersen Construction failed to take swift action and seemed to dismiss the incident. However, the City of Portland notes that Andersen Construction has filed a police report, launched an independent investigation, and scheduled mandatory workplace training.
Finally, yet another noose was found at the site of the unopened Resorts World Las Vegas hotel-casino on the Vegas Strip on June 24. Both construction firm W.A. Richardson and the Las Vegas Police Department will conduct investigations. “There is no excuse for symbols or acts of racism and hatred to be present on our site and [they] will not be tolerated,” Resorts World Las Vegas said in a statement cited by KLAS 8 News Now.
