Gender equality depends on all people having the opportunity to participate fully in Canada’s economic, social and political life. Removing systemic barriers with respect to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and ensuring the inclusion of 2SLGBTQI+ communities will create a better future for all Canadians. 

Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced up to $4.7 million for nine 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, located in Alberta and Manitoba. Through this funding, the following projects will advance equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities and address the rise in hate by bringing people together:

• Being a Good Relative: Tools for 2Spirits and the Communities that Support Them, 2Spirit Manitoba Inc.  
• Impact FrancoQueer : Transformer les espaces de pouvoir dans l’Ouest et les territoires, Comité FrancoQueer de l’Ouest
• 2 Spirit lii koont (Winter Count) Project, Edmonton 2 Spirit Society 
• Road to Equity: Digital Stories of the 2SLGBTQI+ community living with HIV, HIV Network of Edmonton Society
• Supporting Albertan Physicians, Nurses and Pharmacists in Providing Trans Affirming Care, Queer and Trans Health Collective 
• This is for Kelly, Sunshine House Incorporated  
• Back To Our Roots: Canada’s first ever national organization for Black queer, trans, and nonbinary people, The Enchanté Network 
• Gender Equity in Organizations: Including Two Spirits and Trans and Nonbinary Folks in the Workplace, Trans Manitoba 

This funding builds on the foundation of the 2SLGBTQI+ Federal Action Plan that was announced in August 2022. The Action Plan continues to advance the rights and equality of 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Canada. Through this 2SLGBTQI+ project funding, the Government of Canada is addressing persisting disparities faced by these communities and building a safer, more inclusive country.  

This announcement also includes up to $366,000 for Black Pride YYC for their Equity Now Initiative, which will address the needs and barriers to equality for black 2SLGBTQI+ communities in Calgary. As a part of Canada’s Action Plan to Address Hate, the project will combat discrimination and hate through educational workshops and support victims of conversion therapy* with tailored recovery resources and celebrate the contributions of black 2SLGBTQI+ individuals through an online archive and public exhibitions.

*Conversion therapy is defined as any service, practice or treatment designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual, gender identity to cisgender, or gender expression to match the sex assigned at birth or designed to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour, or gender expression that does not match the sex assigned at birth, or to repress non-cisgender gender identity.