IN Community: How The Federal Government Is Strengthening Canada’s LGBTQ2+ Communities

Minister Marci Ien provides an update on Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan and announces project funding for the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention and Egale Canada…

By Jumol Royes 

The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, and Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre, was in Toronto on Sunday at Glad Day Bookshop, the oldest queer bookstore in the world, to give an update on Canada’s first 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. 

Since the action plan launched in August of last year, the federal government has made significant progress on some important initiatives.

An official consultation on HIV non-disclosure was concluded, recognizing that undetectable means untransmissible and that laws need to reflect that; a webpage to assist Canadians sent out of the country for conversion therapy was launched by Global Affairs Canada, acknowledging that outlawing conversion therapy in Canada is not the only issue; an announcement was made last week about moving forward with expungements for bawdyhouse offenses and clearing the records of people arrested at bathhouses; and finally, continued investment in LGBTQ2+ communities through the Projects Fund and Community Capacity Fund. 

Ien also announced funding totalling $876,895 for two projects while surrounded by representatives from LGBTQ2+ community organizations. 

$229,573 will go towards the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP) and their work to overcome the social isolation faced by racialized trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals, and to address the barriers they face in accessing health and social services, and $577,322 will be earmarked for Egale Canada to support bringing together post-secondary students, academics and community members to inform tools and resources to counter the rise in anti-gender hate.

“2SLGBTQI+ community organizations know the most pressing needs of their communities and how to address them,” a news release issued by the Minister’s office stated. 

“Through this investment in Egale and the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, our government continues to strengthen community organizations and networks to support the vital work they do. Together we are paving the way forward to create a more inclusive Canada, where everyone can live a life free of judgment and bias.”

As part of its commitment to strengthening community organizations, the federal government has launched a call for proposals to support LGBTQ2+ community organizations across the country whose initiatives contribute to a strong LGBTQ2+ movement in Canada. 

The deadline to submit applications is May 9, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time. 

To find out more and to apply, visit: https://women-gender-equality.canada.ca.

JUMOL ROYES is IN Magazine’s director of communications and community engagement, a GTA-based storyteller and glass-half-full kinda guy. He writes about compassion, community, identity and belonging. His guilty pleasure is watching the Real Housewives. Follow him on Instagram @jumolroyes.