The president of the multicultural association in Sudbury isn't sure if the city's workplaces need specific policies aimed at hiring more visible minorities.

The racial makeup of the municipal workforce was discussed at city hall earlier this week.

Many other major employers in Sudbury — including Vale and Health Sciences North — also don't have specific diversity hiring policies.

Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association president Rayudu Koka said equity hiring can be tricky becuase it’s very easy to just shift the disadvantage from one group to another.

"So if they can come up with a policy it might be a good idea, it might help to a certain extent, but … it might put our locally born and brought up workforce at a disadvantage,” he said. “We don't want that."

The city of Greater Sudbury plans to get a better sense of the current diversity of its workforce, before deciding if any policies need to be changed.

Koka isn't sure if the city's employers should have specific policies aimed at hiring visible minorities. He noted a general awareness of the disadvantage some racial groups face can be just as effective.

“One can keep in mind that these people need to be given a chance,” Koka said.

“Because sometimes when [immigrants] come, they don't have employment opportunities and then they go back."