In collaboration with other 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations, we have drafted and submitted a Pre-Budget Consultation to the Government of Canada’s Department of Finance.
Part of our broader efforts to push for a renewed and expanded investment via the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan, we submitted the brief to urge the upcoming federal budget to invest in protecting and supporting queer and trans communities across the country.
You can download the Pre-Budget Consultation here 🔗.
Otherwise, you can read it in its entirety below:
In 2022, the Government of Canada unveiled the first Federal 2SLGBTQIA Action Plan, with an investment of $100 million over five years. This investment, and the first iteration of the action plan, come to an end in March 2027.
To ensure continued progress towards 2SLGBTQIA+ equality, we are calling for the 2026 federal budget to include a new investment of $375 million over 5 years in the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan. This investment, in addition to existing spending commitments from the Government of Canada, will safeguard and accelerate progress towards freedom, equality and prosperity for 2SLGBTQIA+ people - and while building a stronger and more prosperous Canada for all.
While we applaud the Government of Canada for the inaugural 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan launched in 2022 with an investment of $100 million over 5 years, the landscape has radically changed since 2022:
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Polarization, human rights restrictions and attacks on 2SLGBTQIA+ acceptance are threatening the foundations and future of liberal democracy, with authoritarian regimes sowing division to undermine social cohesion and push forward increasingly repressive legislation and policies.
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The continued rise of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ has added new pressures and increased demand on front-line services, as community members seek support with increased harassment, hate-motivated violence and discrimination.
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The affordability crisis has had a disproportionate impact on 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Higher levels of poverty and homelessness mean that rising costs have an outsized impact on an already vulnerable community.
Altogether, these factors have radically changed the everyday realities of 2SLGBTQIA+ people and the organizations that support them, in Canada and around the world.
As it stands, 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada continue to face systemic discrimination, and inequalities in health, social, and economic outcomes. These inequities come at a cost - to individuals and communities, to Canada’s economy and social cohesion. They are a continuation of a long-standing legacy - one where 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada are less free, less equal, less safe and less prosperous than other Canadians.
The status quo is untenable - but in this era of rising hate and without greater federal leadership, we risk backsliding: returning to our recent past where 2SLGBTQIA+ communities were subjected to heartbreaking rates of violence and state-sponsored discrimination.
Increased hate and discrimination contribute to lower productivity, lost economic activity and place additional burdens on already-stretched health and social services. Through upstream interventions to address discrimination and improve social, health and economic outcomes, the Government of Canada can alleviate pressure on costly front-line services and unlock the economic potential of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
In these troubled times, we need a federal government that rises to the challenge - that remains steadfast in its commitment to freedom, equality and human rights, refuses to acquiesce to hate, and stands as a champion, at home and aboard, against rising hate, authoritarianism and the anti-rights agenda.
Now is the time for a Generational Investment in 2SLGBTQIA+ Equality.
Our proposed investment aims to (1) stabilize and scale the services and supports 2SLGBTQIA+ people rely on, (2) invest strategically to address longstanding inequalities that both harm 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and hamstring the social, economic and health outcomes of 2SLGBTQIA+ people and contribute to lower productivity in Canada, and (3) grow Canada's global leadership on freedom, equality and human rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
These proposed funding allocations are in addition to existing investments, namely, the allocation of ongoing funds for 2SLGBTQIA+ community included in Budget 2025, including the $54.6 million over five years, with $10.9 million ongoing for the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund and Pride Safety Fund.
We also recognize that the Government of Canada is undertaking consultations to explore future programs and initiatives related to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. We welcome these consultations, and encourage the development of a new action plan that responds to both the priorities outlined below, and feedback through formal Women and Gender Equality Canada consultations.
We propose that the $375 million investment, annualized to $75 million a year over five years, be allocated on the following basis (by year):
Pillar 1: Stabilizing and Expanding Community-Based Services for 2SLGBTQIA+ Communities - $10 million a year
Local 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations are the lifeblood of queer communities. They are there when members of our community have nowhere else to turn. Despite their critical role, these services are chronically underfunded, with the majority of their resources dedicated to addressing immediate needs. We propose a $10 million annual investment aimed at providing core funding to local 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations, to empower such organizations to stabilize and grow locally-available services.
Recognizing that specific segments of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community face significant discrimination and inequality, and deserve services, programs and supports developed by-and-for their communities, we call for this funding to prioritize Indigenous, Black and racialized 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, rural 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and trans communities.
Pillar 2: Removing Barriers and Unlocking the Economic Power of 2SLGBTQIA+ workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses - $20 million a year
Canada is home to over 120,000 2SLGBTQI+ owned businesses, which generate over $86 billion in economic activity and employ more than 435,000 Canadians. 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurs and business owners are a real economic powerhouse in Canada and contribute greatly to Canada’s overall economic impact.
Despite the immense contributions 2SLGBTQIA+ people make to Canada’s economy every year, harsh realities of employment discrimination, wage disparities and discrimination limit the economic potential and power of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities while leaving many in low-wage employment and poverty.
We propose an investment of $20 million a year in programs intended to (1) support 2SLGBTQIA+ workers through workplace inclusion initiatives, (2) unlock the economic power of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities through small business and entrepreneur development programs and (3) growing support for regional 2SLGBTQIA+ chambers of commerce.
We know that currently 2SLGBTQIA+ workers make less on average within employers large, medium and small in Canada. This is particularly pronounced for trans, nonbinary, bisexual, disabled, and queer people of colour according to Statistic Canada and community-based research data. Despite this, programs focused on workplace inclusion as well as granting programs by ESDC do not currently recognize 2SLGBTQIA+ people as an equity deserving group due to the lack of representation in the Employment Equity Act. As such we urge the federal government to modernize the Employment Equity Act to reflect current labour market realities. The government must amend the legislation to formally recognize Black people and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals as designated employment equity groups. To ensure accountability, we urge the government to establish requirements for disaggregated data collection and to create a dedicated Employment Equity Tribunal. A modernized Act must link equity to measurable economic security outcomes, moving beyond mere representation to foster true economic mobility.
In order for employers to take up the new federal reporting requirements we encourage funding that prioritizes community organizations to support employers in the creation and implementation of 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion action plans as part of the Employment Equity Act requirements.
We also propose funding to support small and medium sized employers who are not federally regulated in order to support their 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion efforts, as we know small and medium sized employers act as the economic engine of Canada, and are facing increasing economic pressures due to the geopolitical climate. However, funding would support these employers to keep the Canadian value of inclusion front of mind.
Pillar 3: Advancing Canadian Leadership on Global LGBTQIA+ Human Rights - $20 million a year
We are calling on the Government of Canada to increase the LGBTQI+ International Assistance Program to $20 million per year, representing approximately 0.3% of Canada’s $6.8 billion international development budget. This would build on Canada’s existing commitment to global LGBTIQ+ rights and deliver on the Liberal Party’s 2025 platform commitment to increase funding for the program.
This modest, targeted investment comes at a critical time. LGBTIQ+ communities and organizations around the world face a severe funding gap, compounded by significant reductions in U.S. international assistance. More than 60 countries continue to criminalize same-sex relations, while LGBTIQ+ communities are increasingly targeted by organized anti-rights and authoritarian movements. Supporting frontline organizations helps protect vulnerable communities while contributing to broader Canadian priorities around human rights, democracy, civic space and peaceful pluralism.
We are also calling on Canada to use this investment to help establish an innovative global fund, housed in Canada, that can leverage additional contributions from private philanthropy and like-minded governments. A number of major global foundations based in the United States and Europe have already expressed interest in participating in such a model, creating an opportunity for Canadian public investment to catalyze significantly greater resources and provide more sustained support to frontline organizations.
For a relatively modest investment, Canada can fill a critical global funding gap, leverage new philanthropic and international resources, strengthen its diplomatic partnerships and demonstrate global leadership on LGBTIQ+ rights and democratic resilience. This would complement investments in the health, safety, equality and human rights of 2SLGBTIQ+ people within Canada with continued Canadian leadership internationally.
Pillar 4: Supporting the National 2SLGBTQIA+ Eco-System and Strengthening Regional Planning and Coordination - $10 million a year
Advancing systemic change and addressing the inequalities faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ communities requires a strong national non-profit ecosystem. National 2SLGBTQIA+ civil society organizations provide essential support to local organizations, advance public policy change and advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. To enhance regional service infrastructure and system planning, we propose a Regional Service and Support Hub model aimed at strengthening existing and ready-to-scale 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations with regional or provincial mandates. These organizations are uniquely positioned to undertake regional planning, identify and address service gaps, and provide support to smaller local 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations within the region they serve.
We propose a $5 million a year investment to stabilize and grow the national ecosystem, such that it can most effectively connect 2SLGBTQIA+ equity efforts across Canada, safeguard human rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We propose a further $5 million a year investment to support and scale regional 2SLGBTQIA+ service hubs across the country.
This approach will help reduce duplication of services and supports within a given region, reduce the administrative burden on local 2SLGBTQIA+ non-profits through shared administrative support agreements, and provide historically underfunded community organizations with additional support and expertise as they grow.
Pillar 5: Protecting and Supporting Queer and Trans Refugees in Canada - $10 million a year
Over 60 countries continue to criminalize queer and trans people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). As anti-queer and anti-trans persecution escalate around the world, people are forced to flee their homes because of who they are and who they love. Therefore, refugee protection should be a core 2SLGBTQIA+ issue.
We call on the next iteration of the Federal 2SLGBTQIA+ Action Plan to include $10 million a year to advance protection and support for queer and trans refugees in Canada. Fair access to protection, queer-and-trans-competent legal and settlement support, equitable healthcare access, safe housing, and pathways to economic integration are essential.
We call on the government to strengthen the domestic ecosystem that supports queer and trans refugees, including refugee-led organizations and 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations. The government must ensure that queer and trans refugees are meaningfully included across federal policies and programs intended to advance 2SLGBTQIA+ equality.
Pillar 6: Addressing 2SLGBTQIA+ Homelessness and Housing Insecurity: Creating a National 2SLGBTQIA+ Housing Program - $5 million a year
Canada’s homelessness crisis disproportionately impacts 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, especially youth, who are significantly more likely to experience homelessness, depend on shelters for housing, or end up on the street in unsafe circumstances. 2SLGBTQIA+ people are often unsafe in the gendered and mixed shelter system, resulting in a greater likelihood of members of the community sleeping rough on the streets of our towns and cities.
Every homeless individual is a failure of our systems to support those in greatest need. Homelessness leads to worse health outcomes, high public cost through emergency health and social services use, and individuals in our communities kept in a state of crisis. By investing in 2SLGBTQIA+ affordable housing and homelessness prevention, we can make an upstream intervention leading to better outcomes and lower long-term costs.
In recent years, we’ve seen a growth in 2SLGBTQIA+ housing programs, including initiatives in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. These interventions have demonstrated success and proven impact - but have struggled to scale. We propose a national 2SLGBTQIA+ housing program to support more organizations to develop and deliver 2SLGBTQIA+-specific homelessness prevention programs, affordable housing options, and shelters.
With an investment of $5 million a year, the Government of Canada can support 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations to prevent homelessness, support those precariously housed, and ensure 2SLGBTQIA+ people in crisis have a safe shelter in their time of need.
Pillar 7: Strengthening Community Safety and Preventing Hate through community-based initiatives: $10 million a year
In a climate of rising hate and misinformation, it is critical that we invest in new initiatives to promote dialogue, foster understanding and maintain social cohesion. Community education programs, de-radicalization initiatives and narrative-change efforts are critical to maintaining the safety, rights and dignity of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We propose an investment of $7 million a year aimed at empowering local, regional and national non-profit organizations to develop and implement new programs to tackle hate and promote understanding for queer and trans people, and an investment of $3 million a year to further strengthen and ensure safety at Canadian pride festivals.
At the same time, the cost of keeping 2SLGBTQIA+ public gatherings safe continues to rise, with small, rural and remote communities being particularly hard hit. The existing $1.5 million annual investment in Pride security funding was sufficient to meet community needs when it was first introduced during the current Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, but those needs have grown significantly. Over the past year alone, the average security costs for small and medium Pride festivals in Canada increased by 66%.
Smaller communities often face many of the same baseline security requirements as major urban events, but without the same access to corporate sponsorship, municipal support or other sources of revenue. This creates an increasing disparity in who can afford to gather safely. A person's ability to participate in a safe and visible Pride celebration should not depend on whether they live in a major urban centre or a small, rural or remote community. Increased federal investment is needed to ensure that safety is not a privilege limited to Canada's largest urban centres.
Pillar 8: Improving 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Access and Outcomes: Creating a National 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Equity and Innovation Fund - $5 million a year
Universal, public health care is a source of pride in Canada — but it doesn't serve everyone equally. 2SLGBTQIA+ people continue to experience persistent, well-documented health inequities, including higher rates of sexual and reproductive health challenges, mental health need, substance use, and chronic disease — driven not by individual risk factors but by the impacts of stigma and discrimination, as well as systemic barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent care, geographic isolation for rural and remote community members, financial barriers to medications and services, and a scarcity of health data disaggregated by sexual orientation and gender identity.
We propose a National 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Equity Fund, with an investment of $5 million a year to develop and implement a national strategy for improving 2SLGBTQIA+ health outcomes and access to care. The strategy would prioritize:
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Financial barrier reduction — addressing cost and inconsistent jurisdictional coverage for essential care, including PrEP for HIV prevention, gender-affirming care, and mental health support.
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Provider access — training and resource development to connect community members to culturally competent, primary care, particularly in underserved and rural regions.
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Cross-sector collaboration — working with provinces, territories, industry, and health system stakeholders to address gaps in coverage for services and medications
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Research, monitoring, and evaluation — building the evidence base to track key access and health outcomes and ensure durable progress, not temporary fixes.
2SLGBTQIA+ health inequities are structural and cross-jurisdictional, demanding coordinated, sustained investment rather than fragmented pilot funding. This fund offers the long-term infrastructure needed to move from managing gaps to closing them.
Mapping Our Path Forward
Over the past decade, significant progress has been made possible through the involvement and support of the Government of Canada. This support has strengthened front-line 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations, dismantled barriers to economic participation and made concrete, laudable, change
A renewed and expanded Federal 2SLGBTQia+ Action Plan is an opportunity to unlock the economic power and potential of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and demonstrate global leadership in an era of rising authoritarianism and attacks on fundamental freedoms and human rights. Through a strategic investment in 2SLGBTQIA+ equality, the federal government can build a stronger, more prosperous and free Canada.
In this time of crisis, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are looking to their federal government for support and leadership in the face of growing attacks on equality, freedom and human rights. If there is any country in the world that can hold the line amidst growing backlash, that can safeguard the freedom and rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in their time of need, it is Canada.