Government of Canada’s progress by priority area

Prioritize and sustain 2SLGBTQI+ community action

Key results

• Invested in over 100 projects to build the capacity of 2SLGBTQI+ organizations and networks to advance equality for their communities through the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund. (WAGE)

How investments support communities:

• Rainbow Railroad’s strengthened the organization’s core operations along with its goal of getting more 2SLGBTQI+ people to safety. The organization improved its cybersecurity practices, developed a clear risk management plan, and strengthened its staff and volunteer recruitment and retention strategies. It also increased community engagement by involving 100 community members in advocacy and outreach.
• Invested in over 40 projects addressing barriers to 2SLGBTQI+ equality through the 2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund. (WAGE)

How investments support communities:

• Queertech’s project Fostering 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in tech products and workplaces has supported their work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality in the tech ecosystem. A report was produced, Queering the Tech Ecosystem: Barriers and Opportunities, which provided insights into the disparities faced by the 2SLGBTQI+ community to foster inclusive workplaces and promote inclusion in the development and use of AI products and services. This ensures 2SLGBTQI+ people are represented as the tech world moves forward into the AI sphere.

Read more about the collaboration between federal departments and agencies on addressing the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan’s priorities.

Continue to advance and strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad

Key results

• Maintained Canada’s ongoing commitment to strengthen global 2SLGBTQI+ rights abroad through diplomacy, advocacy, and international assistance—providing $30 million over five years (starting in 2024-2025), with $10 million ongoing (starting in 2025-2026) to the LGBTQ2I International Assistance Program, improving socioeconomic outcomes for 2SLGBTQI+ people abroad.

How investments support communities:

• The Act Together for Inclusion Fund strengthened partnerships between Canadian and international civil society organizations to enhance global LGBTQI+ inclusion. By the end of March 2025, 24 funded projects supported 17 Canadian organizations, and 46 local partner organizations advancing 2SLGBTQI+ human rights in up to 30 countries in the Global South.
• Rainbow Railroad’s International Network on LGBTQI+ Forced Displacement project supported the creation of an international network to improve access to protection and research, and generate policy recommendations and solutions for forcibly displaced LGBTQI+ individuals and communities. (Global Affairs Canada – GAC)
• Expanded the expungement system for historically unjust 2SLGBTQI+ offences in the schedule of Bill C-66. (Public Safety)
• Launched and completed a public consultation on reforming criminal law around HIV non-disclosure, accompanied by the publication of a What We Heard Report. (Justice Canada )
• Announced partnership with Rainbow Railroad to identify and refer at-risk LGBTQI+ refugees through the Government-Assisted Refugees program. (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada – IRCC)
• Funded targeted programming for 2SLGBTQI+ people through the Government’s Settlement Program and Resettlement Assistance Program. (IRCC)
• Extended partnership with Rainbow Refugee Society through 2029 to help Canadians sponsor up to 50 LGBTQI+ refugees in need of resettlement each year in Canada. (IRCC)

Read more about the federal government’s progress on continuing to advance rights.

Support Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ resilience and resurgence 

Key results

• Adopted and encouraged the use of the new “2SLGBTQI+” acronym across the federal government. (WAGE)
• Hired a dedicated senior advisor on Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+. (WAGE)
• Provided funding to 19 projects advancing equality for Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people through the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity and Projects Funds.
• Supported Indigenous resilience and resurgence through additional funding opportunities, such as the Increasing the Capacity of Indigenous Women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Organizations to Address GBV Call for Proposals. (WAGE)
• Allocated funding, through the Supporting Indigenous Women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ Organizations Program, to empower grassroots and regional Indigenous women’s and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations to strengthen their organizational capacity, establish priorities and play meaningful roles in shaping both Indigenous-led and federal-led policy. (Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada – CIRNAC)
• Engaged with several key Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations, National Indigenous Leaders and Representatives, the Indigenous Women’s Circle, and other federal government departments to discuss matters of importance to Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ communities. (WAGE)
• Announced $4 billion in funding over several years for the Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy, which supports those facing significant barriers and in the greatest housing need, including Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people. (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada – HICC)
• Advanced work on emergency shelter and transitional housing projects dedicated to providing safe, inclusive and culturally relevant services for 2SLGBTQI+ people facing violence. (Family Violence Prevention Program, Indigenous Services Canada – ISC)
• Supported initiatives to improve access to high quality and culturally safe health services, with a focus on those who are disproportionately impacted by anti-Indigenous racism, including Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people. (ISC)

Read more about the federal government’s progress on supporting Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Engage everyone in Canada in fostering a 2SLGBTQI+ inclusive future 

Key results

• Released survey results from the 2019-2020 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan Survey. (WAGE)
• Conducted public opinion research (Attitudes, Awareness and Behaviours Surrounding 2SLGBTQI+ Communities in Canada) in March 2023 to assist with the development of the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan’s awareness campaign. (WAGE)
• Launched the Unity awareness campaign in November 2024 to help people in Canada actively address stigma against 2SLGBTQI+ communities through education, reflection, and practical actions. (WAGE)
• Continued to raise awareness on days of significance for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, such as the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Transgender Day of Visibility through statements, news releases, social media content and WAGE’s bi-monthly newsletter Equality Matters. (WAGE)

Read more about the federal government’s progress on engaging people across Canada.

Strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ data and evidence-based policy making

Key results

• Implemented research strategy to strengthen the evidence base on 2SLGBTQI+ priority areas—safety, justice, health, housing, employment and inclusion. Research findings will inform future policy and program responses within the federal government, including knowledge mobilization in the years to come. (WAGE)

How investments support communities:

• $1.5 million supported community-led research exploring lived experiences, systemic barriers, and resilience of diverse 2SLGBTQI+ communities across Canada, including:
  • Community-Based Research Centre’s Strengthening Community Leadership to Address Stigma, Isolation and Resilience Among Two-Spirit and LGBTQQIA+ Indigenous Peoples Across Canada
  • Walling Consulting’s Building community capacity to support and empower 2SLGBTQI+ Indigenous people through understanding and appreciation
  • Les 3 sex*’s Quel corps, quel choix
  • QueerTech’s 2SLGBTQI+ Tech Industry Census 2025-26
  • Wisdom2Action’s Queer Joy Photovoice Project: Intergenerational and Intersectional Community-based Research to Strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ Communities
• Engaged with the Community-Government of Canada Partnership Committee (CGCPC) and federal organizations to identify 2SLGBTQI+ data needs. (WAGE)
• Conducted a research project on the challenges and barriers experienced by 2SLGBTQI+ seniors ageing in place.  The “What We Heard” report was published in Spring 2026. (Employment and Social Development Canada – ESDC)
• Released new statistical standards and data products related to 2SLGBTQI+ populations, such as :
• Standards on sexual orientation to improve data collection on 2SLGBTQI+ people (Statistics Canada – StatCan);
• Data on 2SLGBTQ+ people with disabilities (StatCan);
• Data on socioeconomic outcomes of transgender and non-binary people (StatCan);
• An infographic on the family and household characteristics of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada (StatCan); and,
• Through work that has been ongoing since 2022, a question on sexual orientation will be included in the 2026 Census of the Population long-form questionnaire. (StatCan)
• Strengthened 2SLGBTQI+ data and evidence-based policy making on intersex populations, housing needs, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs), and other health research, including:
  • Finalized a study to assess the feasibility of collecting data specific to intersex people in Canada (StatCan).
  • Announced $1.15 million over six years to fund Applied Public Health Chair focused on addressing health inequities in 2SLGBTQI+ older adults and communities (Canadian Institutes of Health Research – CIHR).
  • Identified 2SLGBTQI+ health as a key area of focus in CIHR’s Institute of Gender and Health’s 2024-29 research priority plan. (CIHR)
  • Funded several studies to advance knowledge and improve healthcare, including a project to address clinician misinformation about trans and gender diverse populations (CIHR).
  • Funded a project that studied 2SLGBTQI+ communities’ housing needs and the lack of research on 2SLGBTQI+ youth homelessness in Canada (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation – CMHC).

Read more about the federal government’s progress on strengthening data.

Embed 2SLGBTQI+ issues in the work of the Government of Canada

Key results

• Implemented a federal interdepartmental governance structure on 2SLGBTQI+ issues through two senior-level interdepartmental governance tables. (WAGE)
• Strengthened 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in federal workplaces and continued acting on the history of the LGBT Purge:
  • Completed Canada Pride Citation ceremonies for RCMP, CAF, and federal public service claimants under the LGBT Purge Class Action Final Settlement Agreement.
  • Supported the LGBT Purge Fund in creating the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument, scheduled to open in 2026. (Canadian Heritage – PCH)
  • Advanced several initiatives in the Defence Team, including modernizing Dress Instructions, developing a cultural evolution strategy, and encouraging participation in the Defence Team’s Positive Spaces Program. (Department of National Defence – DND)
  • Advanced several initiatives to build on the LGBT Purge Report’s recommendations at the RCMP, including adding gender affirming care to Regular Member Health benefits, integrating LGBT Purge history and transgender allyship sessions into cadet training, and publishing a Guide to help employees navigate gender identity changes and foster inclusive work environments. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police – RCMP)
  • Launched the Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada’s LGBT Purge exhibition through the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The exhibit raises awareness and sheds light on the Purge and celebrates the resilience and courage of those who fought for justice.
  • Unveiled the heraldic badge for the Rainbow Veterans of Canada (Governor General’s Office).
  • Advanced 2SLGBTQI+ diversity and inclusion within the federal government, notably by:
    • Publishing the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force’s final report, and announcing the Government’s initial support for adding a designated group for 2SLGBTQI+ people under modernized legislation (ESDC);
    • Updating the Public Service Health Care Plan to add $75,000 per lifetime for gender-affirming healthcare expenses (Treasury Board Secretariat – TBS);
    • The Mentorship Plus and Mosaic Leadership Development Programs (TBS);
    • The Designated Senior Officials on Employment Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Community of Practice; (TBS) and,
    • Introducing new demographic questions with 2SLGBTQI+ response options in the Public Service Employee Survey. (TBS)
  • Supporting employee-led Pride initiatives, and resource networks like the Public Service Pride Network (PSPN). The PSPN has advocated for the modernization of the Employment Equity Act to include 2SLGBTQI+ public servants, embedded anti-hate commitments in the Government of Canada’s Corporate Priorities, launched and expanded their Pride Mentorship Program, and integrated a Manager’s Guide to Supporting Two-Spirit, Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender-Diverse Employees in the Federal Public Service as a key resource in management training.
• Established Community and Government of Canada Partnership Committee on 2SLGBTQI+ issues to further inform the implementation of the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan and future actions, and work on its key actions. (WAGE)
• Engaged with provinces and territories on matters of importance to 2SLGBTQI+ communities by completing 11 bilateral meetings and formally presenting the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan at the 2024 annual meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for the Status of Women. (WAGE)
• Embedded 2SLGBTQI+ priorities throughout various federal government initiatives.
  How investments support communities
  • Safety and Justice:
    • Launched Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate (PCH) in 2024, which supports initiatives that address anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate including:

➢ 11 projects to address anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate and ensure 2SLGBTQI+ communities are safe, valued and empowered to reach their full potential. (WAGE)

➢  Funding analytical quarterly reports on police-reported hate crimes, including those motivated by sexual orientation. (PCH)

➢  Through the Changing Narratives Fund, helping diverse communities, including 2SLGBTQI+ communities, have their stories, experiences and perspectives be better represented in the creative sectors. (PCH)

• Provided a total of $4.8 million, from 2023-2025, to Fierté Canada Pride to further distribute funds to help Pride organizations cover the cost of increasing security at Pride events. (WAGE)
  • Employment and the Workplace: The federal government established the 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program, a $25 million initiative to support 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs who continue to face systemic challenges with starting and growing their businesses. The Program has three components: an Ecosystem Fund, a Business Scale-Up component, and a Knowledge Hub. (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – ISED)
  • Health and Well-being:
    • Provided $1 million in time-limited funding to support community-based organizations to address mpox. (Public Health Agency of Canada – PHAC)
    • Allocated more than $11.8 million in funding to project focused on improving sexual and reproductive health services for 2SLGBTQI+ communities. (PHAC)
    • Renewed the Government of Canada’s sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) Action Plan (2024-2030), which focuses on health equity for key populations including Two-Spirit people, gay and bisexual men-who-have-sex-with-men, and transgender and non-binary people. (PHAC)
  • Housing and Homelessness:
    • Committed 109 housing units to support 2SLGBTQI+ people through the Government’s Rapid Housing Initiative. (CMHC)
    • Through the Veteran Homelessness Program, provided housing supports and services to veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including 2SLGBTQI+ veterans. The program also funded a research project to gain insights into how 2SLGBTQI+ veterans experience houselessness and housing insecurity. (HICC)
  • Stigma , Isolation and Resilience:
    • Launched the national Unity awareness campaign, which advances equality by recognizing stigma, debunking misinformation, and supporting 2SLGBTQI+ communities (WAGE)
    • Invested in the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program to support communities that have faced systemic barriers, including 2SLGBTQI+ people (PCH)
    • Supported 2SLGBTQI+ events, including Pride festivals, through the Building Communities through the Arts and Heritage Program. (PCH)

➢ WAGE also empowered Pride organizations to keep their communities safe by providing security funding through Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

Read more about the federal government’s progress on embedding solutions within the Government of Canada.