Question Period Note: Advancing Equality with Respect to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression and Sex Characteristics

Women and Gender Equality Canada’s (WAGE) actions to advance equality, safety, and security, with respect to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics.

• Canada is committed to building a better and safer future for everyone in Canada, including Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other sexually and gender diverse people
(2SLGBTQI+), in keeping with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
• Women and Gender Equality Canada remains focused on advancing equality with respect to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics through:
o The Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, developed with community partners; and
o Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, including security funding for Pride organizations, and support for work directly addressing anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate.
If related to healthcare:
• Funding also advances equality for transgender and non-binary people, including developing resources that help healthcare providers deliver more inclusive, respectful, and responsive care.

• 2SLGBTQI+ people represent at least 1.3M of Canada’s population, including 10.5% of youth. o 100,815 Canadians (0.33% of the population) reported being transgender or non-binary, including 0.79% of Gen Z (those born between 1997–2006).
• Despite advances for Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities over the last 3 decades, 2SLGBTQI+ communities face ongoing challenges: o 25-40% of homeless youth identify as 2SLGBTQI+, even though 2SLGBTQI+ youth make up 10.5% of the population aged 15-24. o Despite higher educational attainment, 18.4% of 2SLGBTQ+ people aged 25-64 are in the bottom personal income quintile, compared to 13.5% of non-2SLGBTQ+ people.
o Poverty rates are higher for gender diverse individuals than for cisgender people, even after taking age into account. In 2020, age-standardized poverty rates were higher for transgender women (11.1%) and transgender men (10.5%) than for cisgender women and men (7.0% each). At 17.8% non-binary people were the most likely to be living in poverty – over twice the national rate (7.0%). o Police-reported hate crimes targeting sexual orientation have increased 155% from 2020 to 2024.
o 29.7% of 2SLGBTQ+ people report their mental health to be fair or poor, compared to 9.1% of non-2SLGBTQ+ people.
• To advance equality with respect to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics, WAGE leads the implementation of the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan (2022), in collaboration with other federal departments and agencies. The Government of Canada marked the Action Plan’s third anniversary on August 28th, 2025. Supported by an investment of $100M over 5 years (Budget 2022), the Action Plan is providing up to: o $40M to the 2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund; o $35M to the 2SLGBTQI+ Projects Fund;
o $7.7M for new community-led research and data collection; o $5.6M for an anti-2SLGBTQI+ stigma awareness campaign; o $11.7M to stabilize and expand the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat.
• Through Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, WAGE is providing up to $12M over 5 years to support 2SLGBTQI+ organizations respond to anti-2SLGBTQI+ hate, and up to $3M over 2 years to support Pride organizations and festivals’ security needs through Fierté Canada Pride.
• Budget 2025 committed $54.6 million over five years, starting in 2026-27, with $10.9 million ongoing, to support the 2SLGBTQI+ community sector. This includes $7.5 million over five years, with $1.5 million ongoing, for Pride Security.

IMPACT:

• WAGE’s efforts to advance equality with respect to sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics, have resulted in meaningful impacts. Some examples include:
1)MAX Ottawa Community Health’s 10-month project created bilingual, evidence-based toolkits to help healthcare providers deliver inclusive, gender-affirming care for 2SLGBTQI+ communities, especially transgender people. Through strong partnerships with 16 organizations and early adoption by clinics, the initiative improved access to care, reduced wait times, and positioned MAX Ottawa as a leader in advancing healthcare equity.
2)Working Together to Combat the Rise of Anti-2SLGBTQI+ Hate (Fierté Canada Pride): This project allowed Fierté Canada Pride to fund 60 pride festivals and events across Canada to increase their safety and security. 84% of funding recipients were rural, small, and/or remote pride organizers and community groups. Funding allowed organizations to implement comprehensive safety plans so that attendees, staff, and volunteers felt secure and well-supported throughout the events. Recipients highlighted how funding made the difference between cancelling events and being able to safely proceed. As a result, this project not only protected Pride events – it amplified visibility, strengthened communities, and fostered nationwide solidarity.

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