Today, Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada, in partnership with The Enchanté Network / Le réseau Enchanté, is sharing a public sign-on letter calling on the Government of Canada to modernize the Employment Equity Act and implement the recommendations of the Employment Equity Act Review Task Force. For too long, 2SLGBTQI+ communities have been excluded from employment equity protections—despite ongoing barriers to safe, equitable, and affirming work, especially for trans and nonbinary people and for Two-Spirit, Black, Indigenous, racialized, and disabled community members. 📄 The full letter (and full list of signatories) can be read at the...

We are sounding the alarm about potential cuts to 2SLGBTQIA+ equality and women’s rights funding in the upcoming federal budget. In a moment when 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are under attack and where economic upheaval is making life harder for queer people and women across Canada, now is not the time for Canada’s federal government to weaken its commitment to equality and human rights. Investments in gender equality and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are critical to building a more free and equal Canada, and unlocking the economic potential of historically marginalized communities. That’s why, alongside over 175+ organizations across Canada, including leading 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations...

To read this policy brief as a PDF, please scroll to the bottom of the page. Employment equity has been a priority for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada for over 50 years. At the August 28, 1971 “We Demand” rally, the first cross-country gay rights demonstration in Canada, activists presented a list of demands to the Government of Canada, including the right to equal employment and promotion (Kinsman & Gentile 2010). As of 2018, human rights legislation in Canada now protects workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression and yet 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada continue to...

The following statement can be attributed to Colin Druhan, Executive Director, Pride at Work Canada / Fierté au travail Canada: In recent months, mainstream media coverage has fixated on the decision of a small number of companies to pause corporate support for this year’s Pride celebrations. Much of this reporting has relied on overly simplistic narratives that ignore well-documented economic pressures, including a looming recession and the broader fallout from ongoing trade instability between the United States and Canada. To Pride at Work Canada’s knowledge, many of these decisions are not the result of values-based backpedaling, but rather a combination...

As 2024 draws to a close, we at Pride at Work Canada are taking a moment to reflect on a remarkable year filled with growth, connection, and advocacy. This year, we traveled across the country, uniting communities and partners for meaningful discussions on creating more inclusive workplaces. From coast to coast to coast, we’ve supported employers and employees across the private, public, and non-profit sectors in fostering safer spaces that recognize and celebrate the talents of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Here are some of our 2024 Highlights: We visited nine cities and hosted 20 in-person events, bringing together communities members and allies! Our...