Pedestrians walk past a downtown Toronto Starbucks Coffee location on May 31, 2018. (Graeme Roy/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Starbucks closes all Canadian stores for an afternoon sensitivity training

Canadian fans of Starbucks coffee looking for their afternoon doze of caffeine infusion on Monday will have to find another fix as every location will be shut down for anti-bias training.

Nearly 1,100 Starbucks locations across Canada will be closed at 3 p.m. for a few hours “for a conversation and learning session on race, bias, and inclusion,” said a letter by Michael Conway, president of Starbucks Coffee Canada, sent to customers on Monday morning.

“We will be sharing life experiences, hearing from others, listening to experts, reflecting on the realities of bias in our society and talking about how all of us create public spaces where everyone feels like they belong – because they do,” Conway said in the letter.

The sensitivity training follows the controversial arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks cafe in April. Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, were arrested by police on April 12 when employees said they were trespassing for not purchasing anything.

A worker puts away patio furniture at a Starbucks Corp drive-through location closes down this afternoon for anti-bias training as the coffee chain closed all 8,000 of their company-owned cafes in the U.S. including this location in Oceanside, California, U,S. May 29, 2018. (Mike Blake/REUTERS)

Nelson and Robinson said they were waiting to meet someone for a business meeting. Nelson and Robinson were escorted out in handcuffs. They were released the following day with no charges laid.

The company faced widespread scrutiny over its handling of the incident.

“The reprehensible event in Philadelphia prompted us to reflect, and led to this day,” Conway said.

“But this isn’t just about the events of Philadelphia, or about race, or about social challenges in America. This is about humanity. This is universal. None of us are immune. And at Starbucks Canada, it’s about everyone who crosses our threshold feeling safe and welcome.”

Starbucks has already ordered more than 8,000 stores in the U.S. closed on May 29 to train nearly 175,000 employees on unconscious bias.

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