Pride and Youth Poverty Advocacy: Continuing the Work Year-Round
July 31, 2026
Pride Month in Canada runs from June 1 to June 30, celebrating the diverse identities and sexualities of people living in Canada. During June, 2SLGBTQI+ and allies celebrate their accomplishments, talents, and resilience through a series of national events. However, the end of Pride Month does not conclude the vital advocacy work by 2SLGBTQI+ people to forge their voices and rights. The efforts to address the disproportionate systemic inequities faced by 2SLGBTQI+ youth and children are tackled all year long. Campaign 2000 (C2K) believes that all children should live a safe and thriving life, free from discrimination, violence and poverty.
Historically and in current times, 2SLGBTQI+ populations and allies have fought for their rights through strikes, protests, and other forms of advocacy to obtain equal rights alongside their heterosexual counterparts. Although Pride transformed from a mass organized protest to a celebratory event, the marginalization and discrimination of this vulnerable community persist.
Campaign2000 National Report Card highlights how poverty unequally disrupts the lives of marginalized positionalities. Children and youth who face compounded forms of discrimination due to their race, sexual orientation, identities, disability status, and other identities are more likely to experience severe forms of poverty {1}. There are various pathways to poverty for queer children and youth, which commonly include being subject to stigmatization and discrimination due to their identity from families and/or foster care placement (out-of-home care) {2}. Many youth have fled their homes due to persecution, bullying, and other forms of harm. Without material gains or employment, they often struggle to get long-term care, resulting in a higher risk of food insecurity, homelessness, and poor health outcomes {1}.
Many young people may seek out friends, extended families, and chosen families as an alternative means of obtaining housing rather than traditional homeless shelters {3}. Hidden homeless queer youth often struggle to be accounted for within research data, thus government interventions are limited as the demand for care is not illustrated within official statistics. Homeless 2SLGBTQI+ youth face uncertainty about the housing conditions, as couch surfing operates as a short-term relief, which puts them at risk of living on the streets. Unhoused queer youth face living on the streets are at risk of victimization, exploitation and violence.
C2K recognizes the institutionalized need for tailored interventions and approaches to better support families and youth with unique needs, straying away from a one-size-fits-all approach. As a result of 2SLGBTQ+ children and youth being more likely to face discrimination, they require further services and support (I.e., sheltering services & food banks) to enact inclusive and anti-oppressive approaches. Government initiatives range from affordable, safe housing and inclusive schools to higher incomes and employment support for young people.
In 2021, the government of Canada established the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, which provided $100 million over five years to a series of initiatives to support 2SLGBTQI+ equality. Unfortunately, the funding is scheduled to end by 2027. A significant portion of the funding is allocated to supporting community organizations that strive for inclusion and equality. Institutions must be accessible and equitable, creating measures such as cultural safety and humility training for staff, inclusive language, and zero-tolerance discrimination protocols to protect the well-being and safety of 2SLGBTQI+ youth.
Campaign2000 fully endorses renewing funding for the action plan and has signed the joint statement calling on the Canadian government to invest in the 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan. Federal funding can support the fight to end 2SLGBTQI+ discrimination and create a safer, more inclusive Canada.
{1} https://campaign2000.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-Report-Card-on-Child-and-Family-Poverty.pdf
{3} https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/homelessness-lgbtq-poverty-shelters-1.5468262