Question Period Note: 2SLGBTQI+ Federal Action Plan

How is the Government advancing equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities?

•The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan is advancing rights and equality for Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse people in Canada.
•Budget 2022 committed $100M over five years to support the Plan’s implementation and build a fairer and more equal Canada for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
•As of 2024, the Government of Canada has invested over $250 million to advance rights and improve equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities over the past 8 years.
•Since the plan’s launch, Canada has implemented several of its Action Plan initiatives, and more, including but not limited to:
o Announcing $25M to create Canada’s first-ever 2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Fund; and,
o Lifting the blood ban on men who have sex with men.
•These initiatives demonstrate that the Government of Canada is committed to protecting the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

Investment

Budget 2022 committed $100M over 5 years to implement the Action Plan:
•Up to $75M for 2SLGBTQI+ community organizations that advocate for and serve their communities:
o Up to $40M in new capacity-building support, prioritizing funding for 2SLGBTQI+ communities experiencing additional marginalization; and,
o Up to $35M in new project-focused support aimed at addressing specific barriers to 2SLGBTQI+ equality.
•Up to $7.7M for new community-led research, and new data collection and research to inform future 2SLGBTQI+ initiatives;
•Up to $5.6M to develop and implement awareness to break down stigma and end discrimination for 2SLGBTQI+ people; and
•Up to $11.7M to stabilize and expand the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat

Since 2016, the Government of Canada has committed over $250 million across many federal initiatives from departments and agencies to advance rights and improve equality for 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat (formerly LGBTQ2 Secretariat)
•$3.6 million over three years, starting in 2017–18, through Budget 2017;
•$1.2 million over one year, through Budget 2019;
•$7.1 million over three years to continue to support the work of the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat, and to enable the continued development of a 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, through Budget 2021;
•Of the $100 million allocated for the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan through Budget 2022, $11.7M will stabilize and expand funding for the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat.

2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund (formerly LGBTQ2 Community Capacity Fund)
•$20 million over three years, starting 2019-20, through Budget 2019; and,
•Of the $100 million allocated for the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan through Budget 2022, up to $40 million has been allocated for new capacity-building funding to strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ organizations.

2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund (formerly LGBTQ2 Projects Fund)
•$15 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, through Budget 2021; and,
•Of the $100 million allocated for the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan through Budget 2022, up to $35 million has been allocated for new projects funding to support community-informed initiatives aimed at addressing specific barriers to 2SLGBTQI+ equality.

2SLGBTQI+ Entrepreneurship Program (ISED)
•$25 million, announced in June 2023.

WAGE’s support for 2SLGBTQI+ communities through Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate (PCH) (Budget 2024)
•Up to $12 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to fund projects aimed at combatting hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community; and,
•Up to $3 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to support security needs for Pride festivals.

Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) (GAC)
•$2.7 million, over 2022-23.

Global Equality Fund (GAC)
•$750,000, in 2023

Health Canada funded projects focused on 2SLGBTQI+ populations
•$5.1 million in funding for nation-wide projects focusing on 2SLGBTQI+ populations, announced in June 2022;
•$3.8 million in funding for one project focused on trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit populations, announced in November 2022; and,
•An additional $1.5 million to one project to address misinformation and disinformation regarding gender-affirming health care. This project was extended until March 2025.
To date, $11.8 million in funding has been provided by the Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund to 2SLGBTQI+ projects across Canada.

LGBTQ2I International Assistance Program (GAC)
•$30 million in dedicated funding over five years, announced in 2019; and,
•$10 million every year after, starting in 2025-26.

Preventing and Addressing Family Violence—the Health Perspective (Public Health Agency of Canada)
•$1.6 million since 2022.

Rainbow Refugee Assistance Partnership (IRCC)
•$800,000 over five years, announced in June 2019.

Supporting Indigenous Women’s and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Organizations (CIRNAC)
•$2 million, announced in June 2023.

Supporting the Mental Health of Those Most Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic (PHAC)
•$7.5 million

Various health research programs (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
•$11.7 million, over 2022-23.

Victims Fund, conversion therapy (Justice)
•$900,000

Results

Other key accomplishments since the launch of the Action Plan include, but are not limited to:
•Appointing a dedicated Senior Advisor on Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ to provide advice on unique issues facing Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ communities (WAGE);
•Completing consultations to review the criminal law regarding HIV non-disclosure and publishing a “what we heard” report (Justice Canada)
•Expanding the grounds for expungement to include additional historically unjust 2SLGBTQI+ offences, such as bawdy house offences and other indecency-based offences, to the schedule of Bill C-66, the Expungement of Historically Unjust Convictions Act in March 2023 (Public Safety);
•Releasing intersectional data from the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan survey (WAGE);
•Completing public opinion research and awarding a competitively-sourced contract to a marketing firm to develop, manage, and implement the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan’s awareness campaign. The Unity Campaign was successfully launched in November 2024 (WAGE);
•Completed a Call for Proposals of approximately $25.5M for the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund (closed May 2023). Funding is flowing to successful applicants, and funding announcements are ongoing (WAGE);
•Presenting the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan at the FPT Forum of Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women in August 2023 (WAGE);
•Completing all Canada Pride Citation ceremonies for claimants under the LGBT Purge Class Action Settlement Agreement, including RCMP, Federal Public Service, and Canadian Armed Forces claimants (WAGE, RCMP, DND); and
•Launching a Call for Proposals of approximately $1.7M for intersectional community-based research to strengthen 2SLGBTQI+ data and evidence. Proposals were accepted until the end of January 2024 and five contracts are underway (WAGE).
•Developed research project to better understand the experiences of older adults who are 2SLGBTQI+ and aging at home. The Government of Canada led consultations in Summer 2024 with key stakeholders, including one-on-one interviews with up to 75 2SLGBTQI+ people aged 65 and over living at home across Canada, to further the project. A “What We Heard” report will be posted at a later date. (ESDC)
•Completed a Call for Proposals of approximately $25M for the 2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund (closed April 2024). Funding has begun to flow to successful applicants, and funding announcements are ongoing (WAGE)
•Providing public updates on WAGE’s website on the Government of Canada’s progress to date on the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. The last public update was for the Action Plan’s second anniversary in August 2024.

BACKGROUND:

•On August 28, 2022, the Prime Minister launched Canada’s first-ever Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan…Building our future, with pride.
•The five-year Action Plan seeks to advance rights and equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada. It also seeks to address and prevent discrimination and stigma based on sexual orientation, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression from emerging or worsening for future 2SLGBTQI+ generations.
•The Action Plan will prioritize community action and coordinate the Government’s work to advance 2SLGBTQI+ issues across the federal government using a holistic approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of the types of inequities facing communities.
•The Action Plan is an evergreen document that builds on progress the Government of Canada has already made and will continue to guide the Government of Canada’s work into the future.

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